Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has acquired the services of top defence advocate Barry Roux whose daily fees is reportedly close to K3 million.
Roux gained fame when he defended Paralympian Oscar Pistorius in 2014 who had been convicted of murder. The athlete shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
Bushiri was arrested on Friday together with his wife for alleged fraud and money laundering.
But his Communications Director, Ephraim Nyondo, told this publication that Roux has always been a family attorney.
“There is no change in the usual legal team of Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s as he goes for bail hearing tomorrow with South Africa’s top advocate Barry Roux, again, leading ECG leader’s defense team. Advocate Roux has always been Bushiri’s family lawyer” said Nyondo.
Last year in May, advocate Roux led Bushiri’s legal team in a case where the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria interdicted Martins Antonio, Solomon Ashoms and Charles from publishing defamatory posts against the ECG leader.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Black First Land First (BLF) party has said the arrest of Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary on charges including fraud and money laundering is a ploy to shut down his highly popular ministry.
BLF leader Andile Mngxitama said this on Monday when he appeared outside court to stand in solidarity with Prophet Bushiri and his wife.
He said the arrests were part of a white capitalist ploy “to shut down certain black churches with massive followings that are problematic to the ruling class”.
“At the same time the sins of the clergy including sexual offences, fraud, corruption and money laundering in white churches go unpunished,” he said.
“BLF has opened multiple cases with the SAPS which are high profile against white offenders involving similar allegations to that of Bushiri – of fraud, corruption and money laundering.”
In life there’s up& downs.what we need is the truth should manifest it self.if Bushiri& his wife r wrong, right.lets nt judge it’s only God who can judge.
This case will be postponed and resume in August. ANC can’t manage to lose the votes from ECG in May’s general elections. The bail will be given. Let the law take its course.
Bushiri is not persecuted by preaching the gospel as Jesus, Peter and Paul. He is facing fraud and money laundering. Jesus, Peter and Paul were not involved in fraud and money laundering. These followers of ECG are very shallow in scripture cos they just keep shouting I RECEIVE. Every country has its laws of governance. If any one breaks the law he must face it. If there is a burglary at any church and items are stolen, why is it the church report the burglary to Police and Police will not say go home you are men of prayer. They will start to investigate the crime cos it’s their job. So today Bushiri is under investigation then Police is wrong for doing their job? ECG say he is persecuted. South Africa and Malawi does not know what persecution is. Christians are killed for their faith in other countries. Bushiri is not persecuted or threatened to be killed of his faith but he must prove himself before the court of law about fraud and money laundering. Stop being so shallow in spiritual things. LET THE TRUTH PREVAIL.