The Pretoria High Court postponed a fraud, racketeering, and money-laundering trial involving the co-accused of Prophet Shepherd Bushiri until Thursday [1].
The delay occurs as the court determines whether the presiding judge must be recused from the case. This procedural hurdle could alter the timeline of the proceedings against the associates of the self-proclaimed prophet.
Judge Makamu reserved judgment on a recusal application filed by the defense team [1]. The defense is seeking to have a previous judgment that dismissed its application set aside [2]. Additionally, the defense is asking the court to consider a possible postponement of the rest of the case pending an appeal [2].
The trial and the delivery of the judgment regarding the recusal application are both scheduled for May 7, 2026 [1].
This legal battle centers on allegations of racketeering and money laundering. The proceedings in the Pretoria High Court have faced various delays as the defense challenges the judicial process, a common occurrence in high-profile financial crime cases in South Africa.
The court must now decide if the current judicial oversight remains impartial or if the defense's request for recusal is justified. If the application is granted, a new judge would need to be appointed to oversee the fraud and racketeering trial.
“The trial has been postponed to Thursday, 7 May 2026”
The postponement highlights a critical procedural struggle between the defense and the court. By challenging the judge's impartiality and seeking to set aside prior rulings, the defense is attempting to create a legal opening that could delay the trial indefinitely or lead to a change in presiding leadership, which often complicates the prosecution's momentum in complex money-laundering cases.
