Wed, 17 May 2017 10:27:50 +0000
By SIMON MUNTEMBA
A BOTCHED gold deal by renowned South Africa-based Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri has landed four Zambians in a Johannesburg court for alleged fraud.
Bushiri, of Pretoria, through a company called ADF, entered into a transaction with a Zambian national, Alex Sedrick Kasanda Kapasa, to supply gold to Bushiri’s company.
The four Zambians are Kapasa, 29, Andrew Nawa, 33, Ephraim Musukwu, 28, and Daniel Phiri, 37.
And the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria says it has taken interest in the matter where the four Zambians were appearing in Johannesburg court accused of fraud by Bushiri because there was suspicion that the four men had been set up by the Malawian churchman.
This is contained in a statement made available to the Daily Nation yesterday by first secretary for press and public relations at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa Naomi Nyawali.
High Commissioner Emmanuel Mwamba said information had emerged that required the mission to take keen interest in the matter.
“After having an audience and discussing with the four accused persons, it has emerged that as an embassy, we need to take interest in the matter as information has come to the fore that demonstrates that the four Zambians might be treated unfairly,” Mr Mwamba said.
“We are concerned with the manner the Zambians were clearly set up by the complainant – Sheperd Bushiri, his company ADF, and what appears to be a pre-organized arrest and their consequent incarceration,” he said.
The high commissioner expressed concern with the manner the case had been handled and the prejudicial media statements so far issued.
He charged that the embassy was also concerned that persons identified and hired by Kapasa as personal body guards have also been arrested and are accused of the same alleged crime as that of Kapasa despite informing authorities that they were mere bodyguards to Kapasa.
“Although the persons identified as body guards for Kapasa informed authorities that they were mere body guards, police picked them up too. “The body guards are Ephraim Musukwa, Andrew Nawa and Daniel Phiri, who were also picked up together with Kapasa,” Mr Mwamba said.
Mr Mwamba stated that on April 21, 2017, the South African Police arrested Kapasa, Musukwa, Nawa and Phiri at Michelangelo Towers Hotel in Sandton during their meeting with ADF Company officials representing Shepherd Bushiri.
The high commissioner stated that shortly after their arrest, South African media reported that four men who posed as precious metal dealers allegedly defrauded a businessman (Bushiri).
Mr Mwamba said the embassy were cooperating with the Hawks to ensure that the accused persons were given a fair hearing and trial.
“If it’s a commercial transaction and it has gone sour, the parties should go before civil courts than to use the high handedness of criminal procedures or criminal courts just because the accused persons are foreigners”, Mr Mwamba said.
Mr. Mwamba has directed his officials to attend court when the four Zambians appear for their bail application today.
