The Minister of Finance in Namibia, Calle Schlettwein says the ministry is investigating a local church that brought prophet Shepherd Bushiri to Namibia in connection with millions of dollars collected at a gala dinner on Thursday.
Schlettwein suspects there was a case of possible tax evasion.
“We want to find out if he [Bushiri] is a registered taxpayer or an evader. I suspect there are activities that are taxable from the whole chain of service. We want to know how the money was paid and to whom,” he said, adding that part of the probe would look into whether the Enlightened Christian Gathering church has a bank account.
Although churches are not required to pay tax, Schlettwein said a number of organisations were mushrooming under the disguise of NGOs while running underground businesses for profit making.
One of the church’s leaders Salome Kambala told The Namibian on Monday that all proceeds from the gala dinner and the crusade would go towards charity and building the church. She was not available for comment yesterday.
“If the money is going towards a charitable cause, there has to be proof that a community is benefiting,” Schlettwein said.
“There are a number of them [organisations] we are investigating,” he said.
One of the people who paid to sit close to Bushiri during the gala dinner at Ramatex complex said the money was a donation towards the building of a church.
“I know I did it for a good cause. I will not see the reward of my donation immediately but I know I will have a testimony,” he said.
He also said he does not believe that Christians should be poor and “that is why I am rich and prospering. It is because I am a giver. God blesses those who give,” he said.
“We want to find out if he [Bushiri] is a registered taxpayer or an evader. I suspect there are activities that are taxable from the whole chain of service. We want to know how the money was paid and to whom,” he said, adding that part of the probe would look into whether the Enlightened Christian Gathering church has a bank account.
Although churches are not required to pay tax, Schlettwein said a number of organisations were mushrooming under the disguise of NGOs while running underground businesses for profit making.
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| Prophet Shepherd Bushiri |
“If the money is going towards a charitable cause, there has to be proof that a community is benefiting,” Schlettwein said.
“There are a number of them [organisations] we are investigating,” he said.
One of the people who paid to sit close to Bushiri during the gala dinner at Ramatex complex said the money was a donation towards the building of a church.
“I know I did it for a good cause. I will not see the reward of my donation immediately but I know I will have a testimony,” he said.
He also said he does not believe that Christians should be poor and “that is why I am rich and prospering. It is because I am a giver. God blesses those who give,” he said.
By Theresia Tjihenuna | The Namibian.
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