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Bushiri with his lawyer, Wapona Kita, in front of a Malawi court
- A Malawian court has reserved its ruling on a challenge that self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife presented to a second arrest warrant that was issued against them.
- The couple obtained a warrant in February to prevent authorities in their home country from arresting them.
- They are wanted in South Africa, but their extradition hearing has been delayed.
The Malawi High Court has reserved its ruling on a challenge that self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary have filed against a second arrest warrant issued against them.
“In summary, the court has reserved its ruling on the request for the injunction, which means that the court is not ready with its decision. We will continue to wait until the court informs us that it is ready,” said his lawyer, Wapona Kita, to the media on Tuesday.
When asked what it meant to the Bushiris, he replied:
The status quo remains. They are for free. They can go where they want, do what they want, go to court when the date is set as it is now.
This comes after the couple obtained an injunction on February 21, 2021, which prevented the Malawi police and the Director of Public Prosecution from carrying out their arrest.
“I [obtained an interdict] because the police wanted to re-arrest them, which would have been in contempt of a previous court order, “Kita previously told News24.
READ | Bushiris get court injunction preventing Malawi police from detaining them, lawyer says
This occurred just two weeks before the couple’s extradition hearing, which was to be heard on March 8, but was delayed.
The hearing was postponed to the following Monday after the couple’s legal team launched a request to disqualify the magistrate in the case, citing “obvious bias.”
News24 previously reported that Kita was ready to proceed with the hearing last Monday, but later learned that the magistrate who signed the second arrest warrant would be presiding over the case.
The application was rejected. There were insufficient grounds for a challenge.
READ ALSO | Malawian court dismisses Bushiris request for disqualification of magistrate
The couple is wanted in South Africa in connection with fraud and money laundering for a sum of R102 million.
However, they fled the country to their homeland only days after being granted bail of 200,000 rand each, under strict conditions, at the Central Magistrates Court in Pretoria.
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