It has become a trend for congregants to pack court galleries to support pastors whenever they are accused of wrongdoing. They descend on the premises, placards in hand, declaring their full support for their “spiritual leaders”.
As Enlightened Christian Gathering pastor Shepherd Bushiri, his wife Mary and a church member appeared in the Pretoria magistrate's court yesterday for a bail application, scores of his supporters were outside praying for them to be released on bail.
Magistrate Thandi Thelede postponed the matter to tomorrow. She said she needed time to consider all the legal presentations made before the court, and the three were remanded in custody as they await the court's verdict.
The Bushiris and co-accused Landiwe Ntlokwana are facing charges of fraud and money laundering related to an investment scheme valued at more than R100m. Since their arrest more than a week ago, Bushiri's followers have been regulars at the court precinct, proclaiming his “innocence and being crucified for their sins”.
Similar scenes have played themselves out when Durban-based Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso and two accused who are facing multiple charges of rape, sexual assault and human trafficking appear in a Port Elizabeth court. His supporters also flocked to court and there vowed to protect him with their lives and protested that he was being “crucified like Jesus Christ” himself.
While the self-declared men of God may have some difficult convincing those outside their fold to believe in them while they face charges for serious crimes, the main issue is the rule of law. These people standing accused in the dock today, although held in high esteem by the faithful, are not above the law.
Police made arrests after gathering evidence against them; the law enforcement agencies then charged them with the alleged crimes. The onus then lies with he who accuses, the state, to prove its case, beyond reasonable doubt as demanded by criminal law.
The best everyone involved can do, passionate followers or not, is to let the law take its course. And for justice to be seen to be done. Emotions play no part in law, and that's how it should be.
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