Shepherd Bushiri and wife’s fraud trial postponed till 2021

Court has postponed the fraud and money laundering case against Enlightened Christian Gathering church leader, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.

Bushiri virtually appeared briefly at the High Court in Pretoria on Friday.

He is facing charges of fraud, money laundering and the contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).

His wife, Mary Bushiri, is also facing charges for offences allegedly committed by the couple from 2015.

Among the charges is one which relates to exchange control regulations and involves foreign currency of $1 147 200 which was around R15 million at the time.

Bushiri made it known that he was ready to clear his name after the case was postponed in July.

He was of the opinion that the prosecutors applied for the postponement of the trial till next year July because 29 witnesses refused to testify in court due to Covid-19.

He was against the matter being postponed to next year saying he and his wife “have been remanded for over a year already”.

The couple was arrested in February 2019.

Bushiri was baffled that the state kept demanding for more time after it claimed that it had enough evidence against him.

His wife, also bothered said that the postponement to July was unfair despite the fact that his lawyers were ready to proceed.

The national prosecuting authority (NPA)said the matter had been postponed to 31 May to 18 June 2021 for trial.

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