Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his Wife Mary have diplomatic passports which they have allegedly used to evade customs each time they would fly in and out of South Africa.
An affidavit prepared by South African prosecutors who are opposing Bushiri’s bail application in his fraud and money laundering case further revealed that Major 1 and his wife, Prophetess Mary Bushiri, have several passports.
The prosecutors say Mary Bushiri admitted to lying that she were a diplomat to pass through customs.
The documents read out today during the bail application hearing further revealed that the couple use different passport when leaving and entering South Africa.
The prosecutor, who we are not allowed to name, said Bushiri and his wife travelled to and from South Africa, five times a month through Lanseria Airport with different passports.
At Airport, Major 1 is said to have been telling airport personnel that he has diplomatic immunity in South Africa and that his luggage cannot be searched. He would allegedly flash out his diplomatic passport to the Airport staff.
However, the state says the couple have no diplomatic immunity in South Africa as they are not diplomats.
Meanwhile, questions are now being raised as to how Bushiri and his wife, Mary Bushiri, obtained their diplomatic passports in Malawi where the Immigration Department is well known as one of the most corrupt institutions in that country.
The couple’s bail hearing has been adjourned to 13:30 this afternoon because Bushiri’s lawyer, advocate Annalien van den Heever said she was ambushed and needed to consult with her clients on numerous allegations that were highlighted by the State in their affidavit.
Heever said some of the allegations speculative.
As of press time, Major 1 was trending on Twitter South Africa with #Bushirimustfall.
For a live update of this bail hearing, follow us on Twitter at @Malawi24
