Prophet Shepherd Bushiri of Enlighten Christian Gathering (ECG) church has been released from jail together with her wife Mary at a bailbond of R100,000 each.

Bushiri and his wife were arrested in Rustenburg on Friday, on charges of fraud and money-laundering.

Bushiri, commonly referred to as “Major 1”, appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, where throngs of supporters displayed posters in solidarity with their controversial leader.

His faithful congregants amassed outside court to demand his release, and that the charges be dropped.

On hearing of their pending release on bail, the hundreds of supporters lifted their hands to the sky and bowed to the ground. Chanting, dancing, praying and crying ensued.

Bushiri is now being top defence advocate Barry Roux defended murder-convicted former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius in 2014.