Televangelist Shepard Bushiri and his wife Mary may have escaped the country with the help of the Malawian government and businessman Willah Mudolo may be innocent.
The Star is in possession of communication between an ANC municipal councillor and the charismatic leader where Bushiri told the councillor that he was waiting for his “government to take him back home”.
Bushiri who was arrested and charged with corruption, money laundering and racketeering in 2020 fled the country on the day the Malawian president left the country after what looks like a choreographed state visit.
It appears that Bushiri knew of the date of his escape and had made prior arrangements for most of his funds and cars to be sent to Malawi. Mudolo who was not a member of Bushiri’s church but brought in as an international investor brought investment from the United States, the United Kingdom and Switzerland but found himself and 15 other investors cheated.
The funds were set to build a smart city referred to as “mini Dubai” in Rustenburg in the North West.
Mudolo and his wife Zethu were charged alongside the Bushiris.
On April 26, 2019 Bushiri told board members that funds should be directed to Malawi for a new project but the transactions should be kept a secret from Mudolo, investors and church members.
Startlingly, on the day of Bushiri’s escape Mudolo and the board were in Pretoria for a meeting with Bushiri only to learn through Facebook posts that their “papa” was scheduled to host a press conference live from Malawi.
What has now caught the attention of the investigating body, the Hawks, is Bushiri’s “gift“ to the Lilongwe Police services last week, how Bushiri could have set up Mudolo to take the rap for him, and why the Lilongwe courts have refused to assist the SAPS and the Hawks in the investigation.
Bushiri’s church has donated K4 million (about R68 000) to the Malawi Police, Malawi Defence Force, Malawi Prisons and Malawi Immigration Services.
The Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court has ruled against the arrest of the Bushiris.
The State made a fresh application seeking a warrant of arrest for the couple, this was after the State withdrew the appeal of the November 20 ruling which was challenging magistrate Viva Nyimba’s ruling to have the Bushiris attend court by way of summons and not arrest.
The Malawi government says Bushiri’s ECG Church is crucial to fostering national unity, the Minister of Civic Education and National Unity Timothy Mtambo said at the church.
The minister said the role of the church is to raise citizens of immaculate fortitude and stamina, claiming communities are built by strong individuals and strong individuals come from strong families with great values.
“As government, we recognize and appreciate the role played by the civil society and its stakeholders. It is with great pleasure that we salute the work and efforts of the ECG Church, as we soldier forward and upward to build a Malawi that will touch heaven and change our world.
“My coming to worship here is a statement of assurance that my ministry values the role the ECG Church plays in this country. We appreciate you and God bless you all,” said Mtambo.
Radio station Capital FM Malawi reported that Nyimba ruled that no warrant of arrest should be executed against the couple since they need to appear in court upon being summoned.
Nyimba ordered that the formal hearing of the extradition should start on March 8, 2022. The State was expected to disclose all remaining documents to the defence on January 18.
They handed themselves to the police in Malawi after a warrant of arrest was issued by Interpol.
Nyimba released them unconditionally stating that their arrest was unlawful because there was no formal request from South Africa.
