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On Monday, November 16, 2020, the South African government issued an arrest warrant for Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church leader Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary Bushiri, who flew to Malawai ahead of their bail hearing.
The couple who were under investigation for multiple counts of fraud and money laundering are said to have sneaked out of South Africa over the weekend. Many people suspected they might have traveled with the Malawian president, Lazarus Chakwera, in his private jet. However, Chakwera's office and the South African authorities in charge of the president's travel denied assisting Bushiri and his wife in escaping.
In a statement issued by South Africa's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), the Malawian government and the South African authorities are said to be working around the clock to ensure that Bushiri and his wife are brought back to South Africa. This is in conjunction with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on extradition to answer the charges filed against them.
"A warrant of arrest has been issued this morning by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court for the two fugitives, Shepherd Bushiri and Mary Bushiri, who contravened their bail conditions when they failed to present themselves at the police station to confirm that they are still in the country. The Bushiris' bail is cancelled thus forfeiting the R200 000 each which they had posted as bail. They will also forfeit their residence should they not present themselves at court on Thursday, November 19 2020," said the Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale.
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Asked whether the Malawian government was willing to give up the couple, Malawi's Foreign Affairs minister Eisenhower Mkaka told BBC that the country's policy was to protect all Malawians, adding that the President of Malawi is a steadfast advocate of the rule of law. According to reports, Bushiri is currently in talks with the Malawian government to intervene in his case.
Arrest
The flashy Prophet and his wife were among four individuals apprehended by Hawks in October over numerous money laundering schemes. According to Hawks' Colonel Katlego Mogale, the four individuals faced charges on a possible money laundering scheme estimated at Sh674 million.
"Four suspects including a pastor aged between 25 and 39 were arrested for alleged involvement in fraud and money laundering worth R102 million (Sh674 million). The first couple, Willah Mudolo and Zethu Mudolo are said to have been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday, October 17, 2020 trying to flee the country. The four appeared before Pretoria Magistrates Court on October 21 and was granted bail on November 4. Bushiri and his wife however skipped the bail hearing, a move he described as "a tactical withdrawal meant to preserve lives".
If the couple fails to present themselves to the South African authorities before November 19, they are likely to lose their residence. In February 2019, Hawks arrested and charged Bushiri with fraud and money laundering committed between 2015 to 2019, amounting to Sh124 million.
