Bushiri dispels stand-off with SA police

Malawian South Africa-based Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has disputed media reports that his armed bodyguards and that country’s police confronted each other, leading to a stand-off at the weekend when the law enforcers sought a statement from the prophet.

South Africa media reported yesterday that a dramatic three-hour stand-off unfolded at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital, where Bushiri stays.

Police were reportedly trying to obtain a statement from Bushiri in connection with cases of intimidation, assault and death threats on one Martin Antonio.

But Bushiri’s communications director Ephraim Nyondo dispelled the news, saying the prophet has no dealings with Antonio and described the reports as “baseless arguments”.

According to one of South Africa’s leading online newspapers News24.com in partnership with City Press, Antonio opened a case against Bushiri at the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities after an alleged assault on him.

City Press claimed it witnessed Bushiri’s bodyguards refusing to grant police access to him as they tried to reason with him to be allowed to do their work following the charges against him.

But the newspaper quoted a police officer, who said in a bid to avoid controversy, they backed off after they “were outnumbered by Bushiri’s bodyguards”.

“Bushiri is refusing to cooperate and we are scared because he is receiving protection from our superiors. I don’t want to be targeted, so don’t identify me. He is in charge and I don’t want to lose my job,” the paper quoted the police officer.

Antonio was reportedly present at the scene and was saved from Bushiri’s bodyguards by the VIP [very important people] unit of Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who were at the hotel at the time of the incident.

The paper also quoted Vuyo Mhanga, spokesperson for the Police Minister Fikile Mbalula, who said: “No one is above the law. Alleged cases will be looked into. We will not hesitate to take necessary action.”

But Nyondo said in an interview from Pretoria yesterday, Prophet Bushiri was a law-abiding person and the South Africa police was legally mandated to perform its duties without fear and favour, “as such, none, with its capacity, could dare stand in its way in the course of their duty.”

He said: “The scenario being reported by SA media is where the police wanted the prophet to be a testimony to a case where a church member was assaulted by the man called Antonio—something the Prophet obliged to. Prophet Bushiri has no dealing with the so-called Antonio.”

Bushiri, who started ministering in 2002 and heads the Enlightened Christian Gathering, is ranked among the richest evangelists in the world.

He owns several investments, ranging from travel and aviation, manufacturing, agriculture, minerals and oil, educational and research services, financial services, hospitality services to real estate. n