Topping the list of bling pastors who came to South Africa on tourist visas, bribed their way to permanent residency, and built up huge congregations of followers who funded their luxury lifestyles is Shepherd Bushiri, now a fugitive from justice after he fled to his native Malawi.
He indulged in an extravagant shopping spree with what the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) believes were the proceeds of criminal activity, buying a $1.2m (R19m) private jet and six houses worth R30m — all cash purchases. He also funnelled R7m into his personal accounts.
Other syndicate members named in an explosive SIU report include:
- Nigerian pastor Taiwo Ogunlade, who runs several businesses and charitable organisations, and his wife Susan;
- Malawian citizen Sylvester Mkanda, a former adviser to Bushiri, and his wife Hellen; and
- Nigerian pastors Timothy Omotoso and Olugbenga Mandaiyese. Omotoso flew back to Nigeria last year after being acquitted of 32 charges of rape by the Eastern Cape High Court.
The SIU found that members of the syndicate followed a consistent modus operandi: they entered South Africa on holiday visas, extended their stay, entered into spousal agreements with local women, applied for permanent residency, and then divorced their South African spouses — and in some cases even applied for naturalisation.
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