Self-styled Malawian prophet, Shepherd Bushiri told a TV channel in his homeland that South African prison authorities gave him poisoned food during the 11 days he was in prison in 2020 on money laundering charges.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Times Television, Bushiri, who fled from South Africa shortly after he was granted bail alongside his co-accused wife Marry, said his extradition case will be a watershed on how Malawi citizens living in foreign countries will be treated.
The founder and leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) said after being kept in prison for 11 days, and given poisoned food, he was released on bail.
He said part of the bail conditions was that he should stay in one house so that he is easily monitored.
The megachurch pastor said he had suffered a series of assassination attempts and threats from three police officers from the Hawks who wanted to extort R10 million from him.
He said after realising that he was in deep danger and that he would never face a fair trial as long as the three police officers who had demanded bribes and threatened him were handling his cases, he decided to leave South Africa to preserve his life and seek justice in Malawi courts.
Asked how he left South Africa for Malawi, Bushiri was evasive. He responded:
When a house is burning, and someone comes out of it, you don’t, at first, ask how that person got out. You safeguard that person first.
On praying for the sick, Bushiri said doctors treat, and God heals. He said that is why, after praying for his sick child, he took the responsibility of sending her to the hospital.
Bushiri added that he has never, even a single day, claimed that he has healed a person, or anointing oil or wrist bands heals people.
He said rather, it is God who heals people. He only prays for people and the anointing materials are only conduits of God’s power.
