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A 46-year-old police brigadier based at the organized crime headquarters and her 50-year-old husband are expected to appear in Pretoria Magistrates Court Thursday morning.
The couple was arrested this morning for alleged corruption and violation of the purposes of justice.
According to Colonel Katlego Mogale, they were turned over to the Crime Priority Investigation Directorate team, also known as the Hawks, charged with the investigation related to the Enlighten Christian Gathering (ECG) church leader, Shepherd Bushiri.
ALSO READ: South Africa addresses Bushiri’s extradition request in Malawi
“Yesterday his arrest warrants were authorized in relation to an amount of R500,000 that was allegedly paid to the brigadier. The investigation started as an inquiry and became a dossier in February 2020, ”Mogale said.
The self-proclaimed prophet is currently in Malawi after fleeing South Africa with his wife following his release on bail of R200,000 every month last month, citing security reasons. Bushiri then published a list of demands that the South African government must meet before his return.
READ ALSO: Appeal against Bushiris’ release ruling in Malawi postponed
Bushiri, his wife and others were arrested in October in connection with fraud, money laundering and theft worth more than R102 million.
Earlier last month, the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (Ipid) said Bushiri’s lawyer opened a corruption and extortion case on his behalf in Sunnyside, Pretoria, in 2018.
This is after Bushiri said in a statement that he and his wife fled the country due to “security concerns” since 2015.
It reads in part: “These issues have gotten worse after we both got our bail. There have been clear and obvious attempts to have me, my wife and family killed, and despite our various attempts to inform the authorities, there has never been any state protection. “
“We have come to the painful conclusion that what my wife and I have faced in the Republic of South Africa since 2015 is pure persecution, not prosecution.
“The shocking thing is that it was I who, in 2018, opened cases of extortion and intimidation against the officers who today are investigating, arresting and prosecuting my wife and me for these various complaints.
“Obviously, there can never be independence and impartiality. They are purely acts of outright revenge. This, I must say, clearly violates the rules of natural justice which say that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done. As such, I want to make clear, here, that our arrival in Malawi is not an act of fleeing judgment. No way.”
READ MORE: ‘It’s unfair,’ says Bushiri after fraud, money laundering case postponed
Bushiri also demanded that the officers involved in his case recuse themselves.
“As previously stated, this is the same team that I filed a complaint against earlier and also opened cases against. I will not have a fair trial with your continued participation, ”he said.
According to Ipid, police officers investigating various rape allegations against Bushiri allegedly tried to extort money from him to make his rape charges disappear.
“Mr. Bushiri, through his lawyer, denounced the alleged police corruption to Ipid, as part of the investigation process, Ipid asked Bushiri to provide crucial information on the allegations and to acquire witness statements, but the lack of availability Mr. Bushiri’s due to his busy schedule has been giving the Ipid investigators a challenge to move forward with this case.
“As such, his poor cooperation, busy schedule and unavailability have stalled the investigation process, as the crucial information required to proceed with the investigation process is not obtained from him as a victim in this matter,” Ipid said in a statement. release.
“Mr. Bushiri has received comments on the matter, he is well aware that the investigator will proceed with his case as soon as he fully cooperates with the investigative process.”
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