The Lilongwe Magistrate Court has ordered that South African witnesses in the Shepherd Bushiri extradition case be heard by Malawi’s lower court.
• The Court of Lilongwe orders South African testimonies in Malawian courts. This occurred after the State requested that the witnesses be presented via video conference. The case will be heard again in July.
In his decision on Tuesday, Magistrate Patrick Chirwa stated that the Court could not order a video-conference hearing. Chirwa later ruled that the court had ordered witnesses to present their arguments in front of the Court.
This occurred after the state requested that South Africans testify via video conferences in the case of the extradition of the proclamated Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary.
One of the reasons for this application was Covid-19.
Malawi’s DPP, Steve Kayuni, told the media that the court’s decision would be followed.
“The arrangements have to be made. Discussions have to be had to ensure that the order of the court is duly accordingly taken,”
Sheperd Bushiri said this to the media after the proceedings of the court.
State’s Demands On The Shepherd Bushiri Case
The State demanded that the witnesses be present for six weeks. Wapona Kita, Bushiri’s lawyer, told the media that the Court had been relieved of the State’s request.
Kita has always maintained that if the witnesses appear in Malawian court, they are prepared to defend the case.
“When the witnesses come to defend the case, we will be ready.”
This is due to the fact that we follow Malawian law.
“That was expected to be the way things are now,” he explained.
The Bushiris are wanted in South Africa on fraud and money laundering charges totaling R102 million.
Their return to their homeland was only a few days after the Central Magistrate Court of Pretoria granted them R200 000 bail each under strict conditions.
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