Fugitive Bushiri must be extradited – the sooner, the better

We’ve got news for Bushiri – you don’t get to make demands. You are a fugitive, having broken pretty much all your bail conditions. Bushiri must be extradited. The sooner, the better.

Shepherd Bushiri. Picture: Jacques Nelles

How on earth did Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary leave the country, while out on bail on charges of alleged corruption? The self-proclaimed prophet is back in his home country Malawi having broken bail conditions by not reporting to the South African authorities on Friday, and skipping the country. The controversial millionaire and his wife were last month arrested on charges of alleged theft, fraud and money laundering in connection to a R102 million investment scheme. The couple this month were granted bail of R200,000 each with the magistrate deeming they were not a flight risk. The incident is…

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How on earth did Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary leave the country, while out on bail on charges of alleged corruption?

The self-proclaimed prophet is back in his home country Malawi having broken bail conditions by not reporting to the South African authorities on Friday, and skipping the country.

The controversial millionaire and his wife were last month arrested on charges of alleged theft, fraud and money laundering in connection to a R102 million investment scheme. The couple this month were granted bail of R200,000 each with the magistrate deeming they were not a flight risk.

The incident is not only an embarrassment to all officials involved in the case, but puts our entire border control and justice system into question.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola on Saturday insisted government wouldn’t hesitate to use the Southern African Development Community (SADC) relationship to extradite the couple.

According to Lamola, Malawi is a signatory of the SADC protocol and other legal instruments on extraditions.

Extraditing the couple is a start.

A full investigation into how Bushiri skipped the country also needs to be conducted.

Bushiri claims he does not feel safe in South Africa. He says he will only return to SA if a list of demands is adhered to, including being assured protection, his bail must not be revoked, independent and professional investigators must be appointed to the case, and everyone but the judge and his defence team must be removed from the case.

He also insists there must be an investigation into the state’s officers and lawyers.

Bushiri said: “There have been clear and evident attempts to have myself, my wife and my family killed. There has never been state protection. Our coming to Malawi, hence, is a tactical withdrawal from the Republic of South Africa solely meant to preserve our lives.”

He added: “We have to be alive to testify.”

We’ve got news for Bushiri – you don’t get to make demands.

You are a fugitive, having broken pretty much all your bail conditions. Bushiri must be extradited. The sooner, the better.

Failure to do so makes a mockery of our entire justice system.

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