THE hearing of the extradition case involving Enlightened Christian Gathering leader Prophet Shepherd Bushiri alongside his wife Mary has been postponed for 90 days to a high court in Lilongwe, Malawi.
This after Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza ruled in the favour of the Director of Public Prosecutions Steven Kayuni to have witnesses in the case to be paraded in a competent South African court.
The ruling was made at the Lilongwe Magistrates Court, Malawi on Monday, 22 August, where the hearing was heard, after the defence protested that witnesses based in South Africa should physically travel to Malawi.
On the witnesses, the magistrate also noted that some of those expected to make depositions are on sexual offences and are not required to be physically available in a Malawi court.
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In her ruling, Chimwaza pointed out that with the guidance in the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code, she will apply to the high court to have the procedure undertaken.
Last month, Bushiri and his wife insisted that South African witnesses should go to Malawi and testify physically in court.
The couple had fled Mzansi in 2020 where they are accused of money laundering and fraud.
Bushiri is also facing eight charges of rape.
The South African authorities have made it known that they want the two to be brought back to answer to all the charges.
Defence lawyer Wapona Kita has since been given the mandate to instruct lawyers in South Africa to represent them when taking their testimonies.
