SA Parliament demands answers on Bushiris' escape

 

South Africa's Parliament has requested a report into how Enlightened Christian Gathering Church Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and wife Mary escaped the Rainbow nation.

Bushiri’s 'great escape' has been likened to that of Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn from Japan.

The Bushiris allegedly left South Africa for safety reasons after being given bail over allegations of money laundering, fraud and theft and have since asked the Malawi government to intervene for a fair trial.

South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Mostoaledi admitted South African borders are porous and the department has been working on these issues asking Parliament to put into effect a law on border management.

The Minister said it has taken 10 years to have the issues passed in Parliament and that there is papework that still needs to be signed.

He disclosed the Bushiris has five passports each, all issued in Malawi and the South African government have their numbers.

"The system indicated the Bushiris last went through 19 of January 2019 when they entered through OR Tambo. There is no movement after that. It only reflects last year. Newspapers indicates they went to Lesotho after bribing officials and it is difficult to trace that and when we traced with Lesotho the only way is chartered plane."

But the Minister could not explain how they left saying: “The Bushiris did not board with Chakwera, they did not use our ports. The JSPC cluster will give us the rest of the report."

Mostoaledi explained Home Affairs got involved last year as the Hawks were investigating fraud, money laundering, theft and they discovered with inconsistences over issues of documentation. 

He pointed out the issue of documentation led them to discover the Bushiris were given permanent residence in 2016 when upon entering South Africa in 2013, Mary Bushiri said she had a permit issued in 1997.

“Bushiri said he came in around 2009 but the system only indicates 2013. Bushiri registered companies with the IPID that he started operating business but he never applied for a business visa meaning they were not in accordance with law.

“In 2016 they [Bushiris] applied for the permanent residence. She [Mary] applied with Mr Shepherd Bushiri and declared under oath they came in 2016. The permits were granted but has issues of irregularities because of the misrepresentation of facts and it is being investigated, which Home Affairs officials gave it and under which conditions?" he said.

Motsoaledi also says his Ministry vehemently opposed Bushiri's bail application arguing he was a flight risk but the courts ruled otherwise.

The Minister was then quizzed by Members of Parliament who demanded an explanation as to whether there was CCTV footage capturing moving of people.