On Saturday night, the congregation of Shepherd Bushiri’s church in Mpumalanga fell victim to an armed robbery. According to police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala, members of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) had gathered for a night vigil when the incident occurred.
As congregants awaited the arrival of others, three gunmen, with their faces covered and armed with handguns, stormed the church premises. They proceeded to rob the members, seizing an undisclosed amount of cash, 14 cellphones, personal bank cards, and the church’s bank card. Additionally, the robbers demanded the personal identification numbers (PINs) from the victims.
The suspects also took two vehicle keys from the congregants before making their escape in a stolen white VW Polo Vivo. However, the abandoned vehicle was later found approximately seven kilometers away from the church, in Mzinti.
In response to the incident, the SAPS provincial commissioner in Mpumalanga, Lt-Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has assembled a team of investigators to diligently pursue the case. Mohlala stated that the general assured the community that Mpumalanga police would not allow the criminals to evade justice and promised swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice.
