‘The best thing I did was leave the country,’ says Bushiri about South Africa [VIDEOS]

Self-proclaimed prophet and fugitive Shepherd Bushiri says leaving South Africa was the best thing he could have done for himself.

The Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) founder, whose real name is Chipiliro Gama, and his wife, Mary Bushiri, fled to Malawi in November 2020, after being granted bail of R200 000 each under strict conditions in the Pretoria Central Magistrate’s Court.

Fugitive

Now a fugitive from justice, in an interview with eNCA, Bushiri argued that he was justified in leaving South Africa even if it was unlawful.

“The best thing I did was leave the country… There is an international law that allows you. If you are a refugee running from war, you are allowed to leave the country unlawfully.”

Bushiri claimed he regarded himself as a refugee because he was being targeted.

Bushiri claims there were police generals trying to extort money from him during his time in South Africa, while mentioning the name of former Hawks head General Godfrey Lebeya.

“There was a certain gentleman who is also, I think, a general in the Hawks. His name is Paul [Ramoloko] and this man said he can take the matter to the head of the Hawks, he can take the matter to Lebeya.

“So this poor guy, he went to one of my bodyguards to say you can meet him at the farm. After the meeting, Mr Paul said, ‘Okay’. He said, ‘for your boss to be free, if you can arrange something, that will be given to him’,” Bushiri claimed.  

When asked about the amount, Bushiri claimed it was in excess of two or three million rand.

ALSO READ: Shepherd Bushiri alleges corruption by ‘Sibiya’ as SA govt studies Malawi court ruling

Who’s Bushiri?

Lebeya told the channel that he had never met Bushiri.

I have never met this prophet, Bushiri, nor have I ever talked to him. I never invited anyone to come discuss the case with me to make it go away. The cases will never go away.

“He has been changing his story. I have listened to him, the story that he is putting forward today, alleging that I have summoned him to my farm and to my house. He has previously said that it was General Sibiya. He has now changed to say that it’s Lebeya,” Lebeya said.

Popularity

Meanwhile, Bushiri claims to be even more popular, saying his congregation in South Africa has grown to more than two million registered members, growing exponentially after he fled the country.

“You are aware of that. Our church actually grew five times more than when I was in South Africa. Our church grew bigger.”

Bushiri claimed that his church now has over two million registered members across South Africa, with branches operating in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, and Cape Town.

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