An investigation has revealed how controversial religious figures Shepherd Bushiri and Timothy Omotoso systematically exploited South Africa's immigration system through corrupt officials, exposing governance failures that allowed foreign nationals accused of serious crimes to manipulate visa processes, evade accountability, and victimize vulnerable communities.
The findings connect to broader patterns of state capture and institutional decay that have plagued South Africa since the Jacob Zuma era—showing how corruption networks penetrate seemingly mundane bureaucratic processes with devastating consequences for ordinary citizens.
The Bushiri Scandal
Shepherd Bushiri, the Malawian televangelist who founded Enlightened Christian Gathering, built a religious empire in South Africa that generated millions through tithes, "miracle" offerings, and business ventures. His lavish lifestyle—private jets, luxury cars, designer clothing—became as well-known as his claimed ability to perform miracles.
In November 2020, Bushiri and his wife Mary were arrested on charges of theft, money laundering, and fraud involving R102 million. Released on bail, they promptly fled to Malawi, claiming persecution and threats to their safety. The escape, despite the couple being on a Home Affairs watchlist, represented a spectacular failure of South Africa's border control and immigration enforcement.
Investigations revealed that Bushiri had obtained permanent residency through irregular means, with immigration officials allegedly accepting bribes to expedite applications and overlook disqualifying factors. The network of corruption extended to police officers and border officials who facilitated the couple's flight from justice.
The South African government's efforts to extradite the Bushiris have stalled in Malawian courts for over four years, causing diplomatic friction and public embarrassment. The case has become emblematic of both immigration system vulnerabilities and the difficulty of holding well-connected individuals accountable.
The Omotoso Case
Timothy Omotoso, a Nigerian pastor who founded Jesus Dominion International, faces trial on charges of human trafficking, rape, and sexual assault involving young women and girls. His arrest in 2017 revealed allegations of systematic sexual exploitation within his church, with accusers describing how Omotoso used religious authority to prey on vulnerable members of his congregation.
The investigation uncovered that Omotoso had obtained and renewed visas through corrupt relationships with immigration officials, despite red flags that should have triggered scrutiny. Like Bushiri, he exploited weaknesses in the system to maintain legal status while allegedly committing serious crimes.
The trial, now in its seventh year, has faced repeated delays—a separate indictment of institutional dysfunction. Victims have had to relive trauma through multiple court appearances, while Omotoso remains in custody awaiting justice that seems perpetually deferred.
Victims and Vulnerable Communities
Behind the headlines about celebrity pastors and immigration corruption lie the real victims: congregants who trusted religious leaders and were exploited financially and, in Omotoso's case, sexually. Many were from impoverished communities where churches provide not just spiritual guidance but social services and community in contexts of state failure and economic hardship.
These communities' vulnerability made them targets. Bushiri and Omotoso both offered the promise of miracles, prosperity, and divine intervention to people facing unemployment, illness, and poverty—using faith as a weapon of manipulation.
The immigration corruption that enabled these men to operate in South Africa for years represents a betrayal of public trust. Immigration officials who accepted bribes chose personal enrichment over protecting vulnerable people from exploitation.
Institutional Failures and State Capture Legacy
The Bushiri and Omotoso cases cannot be separated from South Africa's broader state capture experience. The Zondo Commission documented how corruption networks during the Zuma presidency penetrated virtually every state institution, including Home Affairs, law enforcement, and border management.
These networks normalized corruption, creating environments where officials felt emboldened to accept bribes and where accountability mechanisms were weakened or compromised. Rebuilding institutional integrity requires more than prosecuting individual officials—it demands cultural transformation within bureaucracies where corruption became routine.
The slow pace of both the Bushiri extradition and Omotoso trial reflects another dimension of institutional failure: a criminal justice system overwhelmed by case backlogs, capacity constraints, and sometimes corruption itself. Justice delayed is justice denied—a reality that victims know intimately.
The Path Forward
South Africa has taken steps to address immigration system vulnerabilities, including biometric systems, inter-agency cooperation, and anti-corruption measures within Home Affairs. Yet as the Bushiri and Omotoso cases demonstrate, technology and policy reforms mean little without political will to enforce them and institutional cultures that reject corruption.
The prosecution of implicated officials must continue, but accountability cannot stop with low-level bureaucrats. The networks that enabled Bushiri and Omotoso likely involved senior officials and political connections—unraveling these networks requires investigators with independence and protection from political interference.
In South Africa, as across post-conflict societies, the journey from apartheid to true equality requires generations—and constant vigilance. The exploitation of immigration systems by corrupt religious figures is not unique to South Africa, but the country's particular vulnerabilities—weak institutions recovering from state capture, economic inequality creating desperate populations, and border management challenges—create conditions where such exploitation thrives.
The real measure of progress will be whether victims receive justice, whether corrupt officials face meaningful consequences, and whether institutional reforms prevent future exploitation. Years after their arrests, that progress remains incomplete.
