Bushiri’s Claims Deepen SA Police Crisis

The Malawian prophet-cum-fugitive has allegedly implicated corruption accused police boss, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, in new explosive bribery claims

The integrity of South Africa’s criminal justice system faces renewed scrutiny following explosive bribery allegations by self-proclaimed prophet and fugitive, Shepherd Bushiri. The Malawian’s claims that top-ranking South African police officers solicited mil lions of Rands to secure his residency in the country have added further damage to a system already reeling from high-level corruption probes. Bushiri and his wife, Mary, fled South Africa - where they faced serious charges of fraud and money-laundering - and returned to their native Malawi in November 2020. This dramatic escape, reportedly aboard a private jet linked to the Malawian president, prompted a scramble by the South African government to secure their extradition. The legal landscape shifted significantly after the High Court in Malawi recently overturned a lower court’s extradition order. The High Court’s ruling cited that the South African request was “tainted by bad faith, political motivation, and oppressive delay,” handing the fugitive couple a major legal reprieve. This “lifeline” has now emboldened Bushiri to publicly name and accuse senior South African police officials of corruption. Bushiri alleges that he was forced to pay over R12-million in “protection fees” to remain in the country, detailing threats against his life. He explicitly named a group of officials, including a Captain Ngobeni, a Captain Rebi (identified as a Captain in the Hawks), and a Mare Maritz. “These did not hide their intentions through this Captain Ngobeni, but to speak that we had to pay R12-million if we had to stay in South Africa. And this was apparently known as protection fees,” he said in a video that has since gone viral. Notably, Bushiri’s claims have intersected with a separate, wide-ranging official investigation into police corruption. The self-proclaimed prophet made mention of a high-ranking official named Sibiya, stating that much of the money was collected in this General’s name. This reference opens speculation that he is referring to the suspended Deputy National Police Commis sioner, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya. This link is considered plausible as it is public knowledge that Lieutenant-General Sibiya once served as the head of the Di rectorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI or Hawks) in Gauteng, a department Bushiri specifically mentioned. The potential implication of Lieutenant-General Sibiya, who has faced similar corruption allegations from other sources, further plunges the police service into a deeper crisis. These allegations by Bushiri come amid the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which was established to interrogate corruption at the highest levels of South Af rica’s criminal justice system. The commission was initiated following explosive accusations made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Lieuten ant-General Mkhwanazi accused other top officials, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu (who has since been put on special leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa) and Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, of having improper links with alleged under world figures, such as Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Mat lala and Brown Mogotsi. Testimony heard by the commission, including from a witness known as ‘C’, suggests an entrenched system where powerful criminal figures allegedly bribed senior police and political leaders. The convergence of Bushiri’s detailed accusations with the Madlanga Commission’s revelations - which both potentially implicate Lieutenant-General Sibiya - paints a disturbing picture of an institution struggling to purge corruption from its top ranks. The confluence of these scandals signals an urgent need for institutional reform to restore public trust in the country’s law enforcement agencies. Despite his explosive claims, Bushiri himself remains a wanted fugitive in South Africa. According to a media statement released by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Minster Mmamoloko Kubayi, has noted the ruling of the Malawian High Court. “The South African government is studying the judgement and will determine the next legal course of action once a full assessment of the ruling has been concluded. “The Minister reaffirmed that South Africa remains steadfast in pursuing all available legal avenues to ensure that justice is ultimately served,” read excerpts in the statement.