News / National
Arrest warrants being prepared for Bushiris
08 Dec 2020 at 21:30hrs | Views
The Malawian government confirmed on Tuesday that the process to have self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary arrested has begun.
This comes after the SA government filed an extradition request last week.
"The attorney-general is preparing to proceed for the signature of the minister of homeland security in Malawi. Once it is signed, it will be submitted to court for issuance of warrants of arrest by the court. When that is done, prophet Bushiri and his wife will be arrested," said Malawi's minister of information Gospel Kazako.
Kazako added, however, that everything would depend on the decision of the court on whether to issue the arrest warrant.
Asked if the Bushiris could be arrested as early as this week, Kazako said: "It will depend when the minister signs and when the courts will act on the request from the attorney-general."
Shepherd Bushiri and co-accused due in court on same day in SA and Malawi
A bail application hearing involving self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri's co-accused Willah Mudolo has been postponed to December 14.
The Bushiris skipped SA last month after they had been granted bail in a fraud, theft and money laundering case to the tune of R100m.
They are expected to appear in the Lilongwe high court in Malawi next Monday, where they are appealing their arrest.
The National Prosecuting Authority's Sipho Ngwema said: "We shall follow developments in Malawi with keen interest. We are confident that, eventually, nothing should stay in the way of the Bushiris being back in SA to face our credible and independent justice system.
"We have faith in the legal and judicial processes, here and in Malawi, and we are certain that, like many others before them, the law will catch up with them."
This comes after the SA government filed an extradition request last week.
"The attorney-general is preparing to proceed for the signature of the minister of homeland security in Malawi. Once it is signed, it will be submitted to court for issuance of warrants of arrest by the court. When that is done, prophet Bushiri and his wife will be arrested," said Malawi's minister of information Gospel Kazako.
Kazako added, however, that everything would depend on the decision of the court on whether to issue the arrest warrant.
Asked if the Bushiris could be arrested as early as this week, Kazako said: "It will depend when the minister signs and when the courts will act on the request from the attorney-general."
A bail application hearing involving self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri's co-accused Willah Mudolo has been postponed to December 14.
The Bushiris skipped SA last month after they had been granted bail in a fraud, theft and money laundering case to the tune of R100m.
They are expected to appear in the Lilongwe high court in Malawi next Monday, where they are appealing their arrest.
The National Prosecuting Authority's Sipho Ngwema said: "We shall follow developments in Malawi with keen interest. We are confident that, eventually, nothing should stay in the way of the Bushiris being back in SA to face our credible and independent justice system.
"We have faith in the legal and judicial processes, here and in Malawi, and we are certain that, like many others before them, the law will catch up with them."
Source - TimesLIVE
