The South African government is unwavering in its pursuit of self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary, who are wanted in connection with a fraud and money laundering case amounting to R102 million.
The Bushiris, who were granted bail of R200,000 each under strict conditions in the Pretoria Central Magistrate’s Court, made a sudden escape to Malawi just days after their release. Their flight sparked outrage and raised questions about the effectiveness of the South African justice system.
South Africa formally requested the extradition of the Bushiris from Malawi on 5 December 2021, submitting the request in accordance with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol. However, the extradition process hit a major snag in February last year when the High Court in Malawi ruled in favour of the couple.
The court's decision overturned a previous ruling from 2022 that had allowed witnesses to give evidence virtually before a South African court.
The court ruled that South African witnesses in the extradition case must travel to Malawi to give evidence, a decision that significantly complicated the process.
The Bushiris, through their lawyer Wapona Kita, argued that the witnesses had to be physically present in court in Malawi to testify in the extradition case. The high court sided with their argument, effectively delaying the extradition proceedings and providing the couple with a temporary reprieve.
Despite the setbacks, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Thembi Simelane, has assured the public that her department is actively pursuing the extradition of both the Bushiris and the Gupta brothers, who are also facing charges in South Africa.
"The department is actively engaged in addressing the mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition requests involving South Africa. We are committed to fulfilling our treaty and extradition obligations to ensure that justice is served in all relevant cases," Simelane said during a briefing on Friday.
The Gupta brothers, along with their family, fled to the UAE in 2018 after law enforcement agencies intensified their investigations into allegations of State Capture. Interpol issued Red Notices for the Guptas in 2022, leading to the arrest of Rajesh and Atul Gupta in Dubai in June 2022. The arrest was in connection with the R24.9 million Nulane Investment fraud and money laundering case.
However, efforts to extradite the Gupta brothers have also been met with challenges, highlighting the complexities of international legal cooperation.
"These cases have faced several challenges, but we remain steadfast in our pursuit of accountability. Our teams are working diligently through diplomatic and legal channels to bring these matters to a resolution," Simelane stated.
