AFTER months and months of endless postponements of the infamous Bushiris’ extradition case, the High Court in Malawi has finally ruled that proceedings should continue.
The court ordered the local magistrates court should continue with extradition proceedings against self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary.
The order was delivered by Judge Redson Kapindu virtually on Tuesday, 8 February.
Kapindu made the judgment in a review relating to South African witnesses.
He has also ruled that South African witnesses be allowed to testify in their country.
The judge suggested the matter could be resolved by having virtual testimony from the South African official as that had become the norm during Covid-19.
He said alternatively, a competent South African court could hear the testimony and forward it to the Malawi High Court.
The leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church and his wife are accused of fraud, theft, and money laundering in an investment scam that allegedly defrauded investors of R102 million.
The Bushiris and their co-accused were released on bail in November before the couple escaped to their home country of Malawi.
Their bail conditions included having to report every Monday and Friday to their nearest police station, being barred from selling any of their properties and having to hand over to the state the original title deed to their R5,5 million property in Midstream Estate, Centurion.
They were barred from threatening witnesses, investigation and prosecution teams, even while preaching.
Their possessions, among which were private jets, a fleet of luxury cars and properties, have since been seized by South African authorities.
Describing his decision to skip the country, Bushiri said there have been attempts on his life and he accused Mzansi’s authorities of not offering protection. He also said his decision to skip bail as a tactical withdrawal was meant to preserve lives.
Bushiri also faces eight counts of rape.