The Enlightened Christian Gathering church, founded by its leader Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, together with its security company Donza Security, are under police investigation for murder and attempted murder.
This after a man was killed and another seriously assaulted by guards stationed at a plot acquired by the church.
Sunday World has learnt that two men aged 36 and 45 were assaulted by members of Donza Security, a company hired by ECG to guard the property, which is earmarked to be the church’s South African Headquarters.
The incident, according to the statement happened on Monday at around 9.30 am, in Midrand on the R55 road, not far from Olievenhoutbosch township.
According to the police statement, registered yesterday at Midrand police station, the two men were allegedly accused of attempting to rob the church’s premises.
One of the men assaulted, Obert Maphosa, told the police that he was walking in the Veld, not far from the plot owned by Bushiri’s church, when he was ambushed by two security guards and taken to the guardroom on the plot by the security guards.
“Upon arrival in the guard room, he saw an unknown black male full of blood on the floor and the guards pouring water over him. Victim was assaulted as well and managed to run away. He later saw the guards throwing the unknown man’s body into the bushes nearby. He went to Olievenhoutbosch Saps to report. He was referred to Saps Midrand. Members from Midrand went with him to the crime scene and body of the unknown black male was discovered. Victim went to the plot with members and pointed out suspects… and they were arrested,” reads the statement.
ECG confirmed in a statement that it has been made aware of the incident including the loss of life.
“We were alerted by the security company, as their client, that two robbers had been caught around that area in Oliven/R55, and that the community had mobbed the suspected PERPS. The security company told us, as their client, that they had engaged the police, and would supply us with further details,” reads the statement.
The church urged the police to conduct an honest investigation to establish the facts and deliver justice.
“We also encourage them to desist from making potentially libellous claims about the church or its members before concluding any investigation, as we will certainly approach the courts and sue – the days of us being bullied and defamed were left behind in 2019. We would like to add that, should the police find that the private security players acted improperly, we will terminate our contract with the company and find new players to protect the premises,” said the church.
