As he awaits his extradition hearing set for Monday next week, one thing that remains certain about self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri is he well and truly lived a soft life.
The latest confirmation that the clergyman who was popularly known as Major 1 in South Africa surely knew how to enjoy luxury is a video that has recently emerged on social media showing a glimpse of Bushiri’s expensive fleet of high-end vehicles being impounded by the South African government.
Bushiri owned dozens of luxurious cars such as the Rolls Royce Ghost, Bentleys, Maserati, Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, Range Rover and BMWs, with even more vehicles reported to be in Malawi.
Bushiri is 37 years old and Married to Mary Bushiri who is two years older than him.
She is commonly known as Prophetess Mary Bushiri and formerly worked as an accountant in an international non-governmental organization.
Prophet Bushiri and his wife Mary are now facing fraud and corruption charges of theft, money laundering, and fraud in connection with an alleged Sh750 million (R100 million) investment scheme in South Africa.
The preacher and his wife fled South Africa and sought refuge in Malawi after being granted bail last year and pulled one of the greatest escapes a few days after they were granted bail by a court.
The couple forfeited their money and mansion in Centurion by violating their bail conditions which prevented them from leaving the country.
Their daughters were the first to leave South Africa before the cleric and his alleged partner-in-crime Mary escaped to Malawi in November last year.
Bushiri and his wife handed themselves over to the police in Malawi after a warrant of arrest was issued by Interpol.
A letter from Malawi’s government stated that Bushiri’s daughter could travel to Kenya to be treated for a condition that cannot be treated in the country.
The once timid boy from a very poor family in Mzuzu, Malawi, quickly rose to fame after becoming a self-proclaimed prophet and doing a series of controversial “miraculous healings” in his churches across the continent.
He is also one of the very few people who can claim to be successful world-class prophets and entrepreneur at the same time.
However, since he always strictly kept his sources of wealth away from the public eye, many people speculated he was a fraud.