Enlightened Christian Gathering Church leader Shepherd Bushiri and his wife are expected in the High Court in Pretoria today for the start of their fraud and money laundering trial.

The pair was granted bail of R100 000 each in February this year after the couple faced charges of money-laundering, fraud and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

Ahead of the couple’s high court appearance on Monday, Sheperd Bushiri’s spokesman Ephraim Nyondo encouraged church members attending the proceedings to follow South Africa’s Covid-19 regulations.

The couple is also accused of contravening South Africa’s exchange control regulations after they used almost R19 million to buy a private jet.