‘Sold, Traded, and Laundered’: SIU Report Exposes How Bushiri, Omotoso Exploited SA’s Immigration System

They are two of the most controversial religious figures to have operated in South Africa. Now, a bombshell investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has laid bare how Shepherd Bushiri and Timothy Omotoso allegedly exploited the country’s immigration systemwith help from corrupt officials inside the Department of Home Affairs.

The SIU’s interim report, released on Monday, paints a disturbing picture of systemic corruption spanning two decades. “Syndicates operated with precision, exploiting weaknesses in verification and monitoring,” the unit said .

At the same time, “external factors such as Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, Mr Kudakwashe Mpofu, and Nigerian nationals linked to the McLaren case leveraged influence, fabricated documentation, and misused networks to secure fraudulent immigration status” .

Bushiri: A Permit Approved by His Own Pastor

The SIU’s findings on Bushiri are striking. His Permanent Residence Permit was approved by an adjudicator who was a member of his own church, ECG Ministries a clear conflict of interest .

The application was supported by what the SIU described as a fraudulent letter of financial independence, signed by a chartered accountant who admitted he was paid merely for his signature and nothing more .

At the time of the investigation, Bushiri held directorships in 14 companies and owned multiple properties in Pretoria, despite his fugitive status after fleeing South Africa while on bail for fraud and money laundering charges .

Bushiri, who has been residing in Malawi since his escape in 2020, maintains that his departure was not an admission of guilt. The SIU’s findings, however, raise serious questions about how he obtained the legal status that allowed him to operate in South Africa for years .

Omotoso: Fraud at Every Turn

According to SIU Acting Head Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho, Omotoso’s entire immigration trajectory was “fundamentally built on fraud and misrepresentation” .

His initial entry into South Africa was secured through a fraudulently obtained work permit, issued in a country where he was not a citizen, based on an unauthorised directive .

Throughout his stay, Omotoso allegedly provided conflicting information about his travel history and residency, and submitted affidavits claiming lost documentation to avoid producing verified credentials .

When his visa renewal was denied, he petitioned for a ministerial waiver. The SIU’s investigation revealed that this waiver was “unlawfully granted by an official without the necessary delegated authority” .

Omotoso is currently standing trial in the Eastern Cape High Court on multiple charges, including rape and human trafficking. The SIU’s findings add another layer to the case against him, suggesting his very presence in the country was built on a foundation of immigration fraud .

The McLaren Case: Phantom Entries and Exits

The investigation also revealed how Nigerian rapper Prince Daniel Obioma who crashed a R3 million McLaren 570S coupe in Sea Point last yearwas able to enter and leave the country with no record of his re-entry .

The case, which has become known as the “McLaren matter,” illustrates the gaps in the immigration system that allow individuals to move across borders undetected, evading both scrutiny and accountability .

Minister’s Response

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has noted the SIU’s findings, welcoming the investigation’s progress .

“I welcome the SIU’s interim report on visa maladministration over a 20-year period between 2004 and 2024. Over the past 20 months, we’ve made major strides in holding corruption to account and driving digital transformation to close systemic loopholes,” he said .

Systemic Corruption

The SIU’s overarching conclusion is damning: “The findings make one thing clear: South Africa’s immigration system was treated as a commodity. Permits and visas were sold, traded, and laundered. These findings show that corruption in the visa system is not incidental; it is organised, deliberate, and devastating to public trust. Integrity is betrayed” .

For South Africans, the report confirms the worst suspicions about a system long plagued by allegations of graft and dysfunction. For the two controversial preachers at the centre of the findings, it adds a permanent stain to legacies already shrouded in scandal.

{Source: IOL}

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