Prophet Shepherd Bushiri Warns Against Legal Fees Scam
Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) leader Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has warned his congregants against a scam meant to fleece them of their hard-earned money.
In a warning posted on his official social media pages, Bushiri warns his followers of a scam being carried out in the name of raising legal fees for him. Bushiri handed himself over to the Hawks after his wife Mary was arrested at their home in Pretoria. The couple was remanded in custody after an appearance on Wednesday at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on charges related to fraud and money laundering worth R102-million.
Hundreds of his followers picketed outside the court in support of Bushiri. The flamboyant cleric has warned his followers not to send money to anyone requesting for legal fees in his name. Bushiri says he will not request for legal fees from the general public through an online platform or otherwise.
In the statement, Bushiri states that it has come to his attention that some individuals are taking advantage of the current situation to scam people into sending them money using his name.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND MONEY TO ANYONE! ⚠️⚠️⚠️ pic.twitter.com/s0TjRgefdR
— Prophet Shepherd Bushiri (@psbushiri) October 22, 2020
Bushiri and wife Mary are not the only people who were arrested in connection with the fraud and money laundering worth R102-million case. The Hawks say Willah Mudolo and Zethu Mudolo were also arrested on Saturday, 17 October.
Mudolo owns the African Development Funding Group and leads property development company Rising Estates. Bushiri advised congregants in 2017 to invest with Mudolo’s Rising Estates for unimaginable returns. A number of congregants said they invested in the scheme but have not yet received any returns. Before his arrest and subsequent appearance in court, the Hawks had scheduled an appointment with Bushiri on Tuesday to discuss Rising Estates.
In a separate case, Bushiri and his wife were arrested on fraud and money laundering charges, involving over R15-million, in February 2019. The couple appeared in a pre-trial conference last week and the case is scheduled to be heard in the Pretoria High Court in May and June 2021. The couple also faces charges relating to an illegal violation of exchange control regulations for purchasing a 1984 Gulfstream jet for R19-million in cash.
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