Cape Town — The Malawian government has confirmed receiving an extradition request from South Africa, three weeks after fugitive couple Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary fled the country.
Acknowledging receipt of the application, the government said their attorney-general will look at it and a decision will be made.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola is convinced that the President Lazarus Chakwera’s government will honour the letter.
“Given our sound and healthy diplomatic, strategic and political relationship, and our common citizenship of the SADC community, we are convinced Malawi will honour the letter and spirit of every provision of their international and regional obligations,” Lamola said.
Bushiri, who is also known as “Major 1”, mysteriously fled from South Africa with his wife after they were granted R200,00 bail respectively.
They are charged with fraud and money laundering related to a R102 million (U.S.$6,7 million) investment scheme, owned by businessman Willah Mudolo and his wife Zethu.
Earlier in November, South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority also issued three warrants of arrest against the cleric for rape, charges that Bushiri has denied, saying that an “extortion syndicate” is behind the accusations.
Despite facing a raft of criminal charges, Bushiri’s followers in South African vowed to travel to Lilongwe to attend the annual Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church crossover night service on December 31, which will be hosted in Malawi for the first time.