Africa-Press – South-Africa. South African witnesses in the extradition case of self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary will be required to travel to Malawi and give their testimonies in person, the high court in Lilongwe ruled on Monday.
Advocate Wapona Kita, the couple’s representative, said on Tuesday that the ruling emanated from an appeal to overturn an initial ruling by the magistrate’s court.
The lower court had ruled that witnesses may testify before a South African court, after which the local court would send the testimonies to Malawi.
However, the high court ruled on Monday that no circumstances warranted an appearance before a South African court.
Kita said the initial ruling had considered the logistics of flying and accommodating the witnesses in Malawi and the restrictions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kita said he had a list of witnesses who could potentially testify. He said it was not up to the Malawian government to determine who testified against the Bushiris.
“I have a list of all the witnesses. They are listed in the docket. The judge said not all of them would appear for extradition. The South African state will choose who will testify,” he said.
Kita said the matter would be heard in the magistrate’s court in Lilongwe following the successful appeal in the higher court.
He could not confirm when the matter would return to court. He said the response of the South African government would determine when the case would continue in court.
The South African Department of Justice and Correctional Services is awaiting the judgment by the high court in Malawi, spokesperson Chrispin Phiri told News24.
“We are still waiting for the judgment, and once we have it, we will take a position,” said Phiri.
The Bushiris fled the country to Malawi in November 2020 after the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court granted them R200 000 bail each. They are wanted in South Africa on allegations of fraud and money laundering amounting to R102 million.
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