Bushiri speaks on money laundering charges: ‘I am not immune to being investigated, will prove innocence in court’

Almost a year after his arrest in South Africa, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri – Africa’s wealthiest preacher -has, for the first time, come out of the cocoon and shared his thoughts regarding the money laundering case he is answering.

In an exclusive interview with Times television host Brian Banda, Bushiri the leader of Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) churches also known as “Major 1” said he is at ease and not panicking because he knows his case.

Without divulging too much details as he will be appearing before the court this August for trial, Bushiri, however, underlined that the case in question has nothing to do with him as a man of God, but the business side of him.

“I do business. And just as any businessperson, there is always that time when the State, if it suspects something, investigates you to explain or clarify something.

“I am not immune to investigations. The State has a right to do that. However, I am ready to prove my innocence in court,” he said.

Bushiri also took time to explain that he is not involved in any allegations of working with billionaires in money clearing schemes.

“The case I am answering is money laundering. The State wants me to explain how I bought my private jet. They want me to show them that there was nothing sinister in the process. I will do that in court,” he said refusing to litigate in the media as that would be subjudice.

The charismatic preacher also denied that his church demanded congregants to pay in order to have one-on-one sessions with him.

Bushiri—whose business interest are in hospitality, media, agribusiness and mining—recently won a big business deal of supplying about 25 000 metric tones to Zimbabwe.