Bushiri in hot water: Faces murder trial of his ECG’s senior pastor

…arrested after a shootout chase with the Police

Prophet Shepherd Bushiri is in hot water again following the arrest his senior pastor for murder.

The disgraced Malawian born prophet who is answering money laundering and fraud charges woke up to the news that Pastor Nicolus Mgiba, a senior pastor at Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church had been arrested in South Africa for attempted murder.

“The 45-year-old Pastor Nicolas Mgiba from the Phalaborwa, Limpopo, is the leader of the successful and busy Enlightened Christian Gathering church. Like the other church leaders who are described as sons, he’s known as a trusted son of Prophet Shepherd Bushiri” reports the Daily Sun.

It is alleged that the 45 year old man belongs to an illegal poaching syndicate in Limpopo. He was arrested last Monday night together with Bento Mendose, 44, and Zalcbrel Baloyi, 28.

“They appeared briefly in the Hoedspruit Periodical Court on Wednesday on charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit illegal hunting” reported News24.

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the accused were arrested after a Limpopo police joint operation and members of the Farm Watch received information about an alleged poaching syndicate driving around Hoedspruit.

Ngoepe added that when the men saw the police, they fled in their vehicle and the police gave chase.

“The drama unfolded when they were stopped. They shot at the police but were chased and, as a result, one suspect was shot and arrested, along with the other two.” he has been quoted as saying by the Daily Sun.

During the chase, they were allegedly involved in a shootout with the police.

Police recovered a hunting rifle, a silencer, four rounds of live ammunition, a knife and an axe. The vehicle the accused were travelling in was also confiscated.

Ngoepe said they have launched a manhunt for a fourth suspect who was travelling with the accused. The suspect managed to flee on foot.

“Our investigations are at a sensitive stage. Judging by the weapons recovered, investigators might connect them to other illegal poaching cases,” added Ngoepe.

The matter was postponed to June 12 for a formal bail application.

Bushiri, a controversial prophet plying his trade in South Africa, is yet to comment on both the case or the charges against his pastor.

It is currently not known whether Bushiri, Pastor Nicolus Mgiba spiritual father, knew what his spiritual son was doing besides preaching.

However, Ephraim Nyodo, a spokesman for the church, told Daily Sun that, that Mgiba had been suspended by DPP.

“He was suspended by the directors of the church earlier this year due to internal disciplinary issues. His arrest this week, therefore, is solely a matter for him as a person.

“As such, we would like to once again reiterate, reassure and remind the general public that, pending the outcome of the investigations, Mgiba is no longer serving as a pastor in church, nor is he involved in activities of the ministry in any capacity,” Nyondo has been quoted.

This is not Mgiba’s first brush with the law. He was arrested in 2009 for armed robbery at a PEP store in Acornhoek.

Later in the year he was arrested with his mother for fraud in Tzaneen after they allegedly sold two cars in Mozambique illegally shortly after buying them in Mzansi.