By Duncan Mlanjira
South Africa’s Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services has served Malawi’s Ministry Justice with the extradition request for Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary in terms of Article 6 of the SADC Protocol on extradition as well Article 10 of the Extradition Agreement between the two countries.
The Extradition Agreement between the two countries were entered into in terms of South Africa’s Extradition Act No 67 of 1962 as amended.
“As previously indicated, the law provides for this extradition request to be submitted within 30 days, however this extradition request is been brought within a period of two weeks,” said the statement from the SA Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services.
“The submission follows a request for a provisional arrest which was sent through the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) in terms Article 10 of the SADC Protocol.
“We note that this has been appealed by the fugitives. We are closely monitoring appeal processes by the Malawian authorities.”
Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services quotes its Minister, Lamola as saying: “Given our sound and healthy diplomatic, strategic and political relationship, and our common citizenship of the SADC Community, we are convinced that the Republic of Malawi will honour the letter and spirit of every provision of their International and regional obligations”.
Bushiri and his wife fled their host country last month where they were on bail answering alleged criminal charges of fraud and money laundering.
SA paper reporting on Bushiri’s
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On their return the couple said they decided to relocate because their lives were in danger and not to seek political intervention but justice before the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi.
They presented themselves to the police and appeared before the court where they were released pending more solutions to the whole case.
He had said: “I am innocent until proven guilty. As of now, there is no court in the world that has proven me guilty. I may be subjected by media and public trial but I mantain my innocence until proven guilty.”
Bushiri’s supporters protesting the persecution
Meanwhile, as soon as the couple fled, three warrants of arrest for different rape case were reported to have been issued for Bushiri in South Africa.
Reported by South Africa news24.com, the warrants of arrest were issued on November 19 by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Courts relating to three different cases registered in 2018 and the third in 2020.
According to news24.com, Bushiri is reported to have denied all three allegations leveled against him, saying the country’s fiscal police, the Hawks were “intimidating women” to lay trumped up charges against him.
Some women are reported to have told eTV claiming that the two were allegedly raped by Bushiri.
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