Lilongwe – Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri has accused senior South African security officials of corruption following a landmark ruling by the High Court of Malawi.
Bushiri, whose real name is Chipiliro Gama, and his wife Mary expressed relief after the court overturned a lower Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court ruling that had approved their extradition to South Africa to face fraud and money laundering charges involving R102 million. The couple had fled to Malawi in November 2020, shortly after being granted bail of R200 000 each. South Africa submitted an extradition request in December 2020.
During a worship service at his church on Friday night, Bushiri reflected on years of legal battles with the South African government. “Tonight has been incredibly amazing to stand here finally and speak with all boldness that the curse which we have been up and down in courts has gone to our favour,” he said.
Bushiri said he moved to South Africa in 2015 to establish his ministry, which brought “a lot of implications.” He claimed the family was targeted through smear campaigns and legal challenges.
The ECG founder alleged that in 2016, four Hawks members approached him demanding R12 million as a so-called protection fee if he wanted to remain in South Africa. He described being threatened with arrest, police vehicles, and even a helicopter descending on his church.
He recounted meeting a senior police official at the Southern Sun in Pretoria who warned him of a serious cartel and advised beefing up security. Bushiri said the official referred him to a former minister and a top State Security Agency member, but “despite bringing these serious allegations against these police officers, nothing was done.”
Bushiri further claimed that armed intruders entered his church following his complaints. “Several times, people actually confessed that they were sent to shoot us,” he said.
He accused a Hawks general, named only as Sibiya, of demanding escalating payments to resolve his case. “So much money was collected in the name of this general to stop this case. It was corruption after another corruption,” Bushiri alleged. Social media speculation has linked this to former Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, dismissed in 2015, though Bushiri did not explicitly name him.
The pastor said he also met an intelligence officer who referred him to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, which opened a formal case. Bushiri claimed the National Prosecuting Authority allegedly tipped off the corrupt officers, resulting in his arrest instead.
Bushiri criticised repeated delays in his case, saying the extended proceedings increased threats to his life. He cited bail conditions as a tool for surveillance by the officers and described a tip-off from one of his pastors that helped him avoid an assassination attempt. An attempted attack at a Sandton petrol station in February 2020 prompted the couple’s flight to Malawi. “When we came to Malawi, we were not running away from justice. It was seeking justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Ministry of Justice confirmed it was reviewing the Malawi High Court ruling. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said South Africa would pursue all legal avenues to ensure justice is served. The ministry added that the judgment reaffirmed the strength and independence of both countries’ judicial systems and stressed the importance of continued diplomatic cooperation.
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