Lawyer opens case after the pastor survives assassination attempts
Enlightened Christian Church leader Shepherd Bushiri was ambushed and several shots were fired at him by gunmen impersonating police officers in an assassination attempt in
Sandton, Joburg, on December 9 last year.
These shocking details were revealed by Bushiri’s lawyer, Ntsako Baloyi, who asked the police to incorporate the incident in an attempted murder case he opened on behalf of the
clergyman, who escaped another assassination attempt on Wednesday last week.
Relating the first incident, Baloyi said Bushiri was driving to a meeting in Sandton when a group of men disguised as police officers blocked his car and instructed his driver to unlock
the doors.
“Immediately after the driver opened the door, they pointed a firearm at him and told him to get out of the vehicle. At this time, the driver was
questioned about the prophet’s whereabouts,” he said in a text message.
He also said while they were interrogating the driver about Bushiri’s whereabouts, the prophet was in the back seat.
“As one guy was pointing the firearm at the driver, the other two opened the back doors to the back seat where the prophet was seated. As the prophet realised the danger, he started wrestling with those two guys.
He managed to ward o their firearms, disarm one guy of his firearm, threw it away and ran off to the meeting venue.”
Baloyi said during the melee, a few shots were fired at him but none of the bullets hit him.
“He just sustained injuries which were treated and healed,” he said.
Detailing the most recent incident, which also took place in Sandton, Baloyi said Bushiri was in a cavalcade as he left home after being tipped off of another plot to assassinate him.
In an unprecedented move, he jumped into a smaller vehicle that was being driven behind the SUV that regularly ferries him.
“The prophet was surprised to see that as they were following the SUV, it turned into a nearby garage in Sandton. He was informed later that the driver intended to buy water and some few other items. The small vehicle followed the SUV into the garage but none of people who were in the smaller vehicles alighted,” he said.
Baloyi further said the SUV driver went into the shop to buy the items. Suddenly, three heavily armed men who were wearing masks surrounded the SUV.
“The passenger in the SUV was attacked, firearms pointed at him. The passenger was instructed to alight the vehicle and lie down on the ground on his tummy and was harshly questioned about the prophet’s whereabouts. The passenger told them he had no idea of the prophet’s whereabouts,” said Baloyi.
He said the prophet, who stayed in the small car, helplessly watched the entire episode unfolding. He said on realising the prophet was not in the car they anticipated him to use, they quickly jumped into their car and sped off .
“We have requested that both incidents be investigated as one case.”
By Ngwako Malatji
ngwakom@sundayworld.co.za
Bushiri dodges the bullet – twice
