'He was caged like an animal': Bushiri supports Omotoso after acquittal

Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri has weighed in on the recent judgment in favour of televangelist Timothy Omotoso, drawing a parallel with his own legal battles in South Africa.

Omotoso and his co-accused were found not guilty of rape and human trafficking.

In a Facebook post, Bushiri said Omotoso had to endure years of imprisonment and watch his life fall apart before being declared not guilty.

“For eight years, Omotoso was caged like an animal,” he said.

“He woke up in a cold cell, staring at the same walls, the same despair, wondering if the world had forgotten him. They denied him bail, treated him like a monster and watched as his life crumbled. His ministry — gone. His businesses — seized. His church — was burnt by the mob. His dignity — stripped away.

“Every dream he ever built, every hope he ever held, was left to rot in that prison. And now, he walks out a free man — but into what? A life in ruins. A foreign land that never saw him as human. This is not justice. This is torture.”

Omotoso's case has sparked widespread debate, with many criticising the South African justice system.

Bushiri claimed South African law targets foreigners, citing his own experience as an example. He said he almost suffered the same fate as Omotoso, facing the possibility of being locked up and spending years in prison.

“To be a foreigner in South Africa and to dare to succeed is to paint a target on your back.

“This is exactly what they wanted for me. They wanted me locked away, forgotten, my name dragged through the mud until there was nothing left of me but a ghost..”

He advised Omotoso to leave the country.

“Please, with tears in my eyes, leave. Leave while you still can, and if there is a window you can use to leave quickly before they deport you, do so.”

Bushiri and his wife Mary are embroiled in their own legal battles in South Africa. A Malawian court recently ruled they can be extradited back to South Africa to stand trial on fraud charges. They had fled to Malawi in 2020 after being released on R200,000 bail each.

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