AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER
SOUTH Africa has issued a second denial that Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera smuggled self-styled ‘prophet’ Shepherd Bushiri after a working visit to the country.
The SA government issued the denial after the Sunday Independent, quoting anonymous sources, published a story claiming that Bushiri and his wife Mary, who skipped bail, slipped out of the country with the help of Chakwera and some local authorities.
The government dismissed the story and said it remained committed to investigating the matter, which led to a diplomatic tiff between South African and Malawi.
Phumla Williams, a spokesperson of the government, said: “Government remains committed to investigate this matter and use all the legal instruments to bring Mr and Ms Bushiri back to South Africa and face the criminal charges put before them. Government remains committed to keeping South Africans informed on progress at the appropriate time. Government cautions the public in South Africa and elsewhere to treat news coverage on this matter with caution and circumspection in view of baseless reports that emerged this past week.”
The SA government has started the process of seeking the extradition of Bushiri and his wife, who were freed after spending a night in a Malawian jail. They were freed after the court found that their arrest was illegal.
The couple were freed on the day that their R5.5-million property in Centurion, Pretoria property was forfeited to the State after they skipped bail and fled to Malawi. Reacting to the forfeiture, Bushiri said his life was more important than the property. “My life is more important than any asset in the world,” he said.
The property at Midstream Estates, was attached as part of the bail conditions for Bushiri and his wife, Mary. The property was forfeited after they failed to present themselves at the Pretoria magistrate’s court as instructed in their bail conditions. The couple has also lost their joint R400 000 bail. They are now fugitives from the law after two warrants of arrest were issued against them.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised that action will be taken after the country suffered a national security embarrassment with the escape of the Bushiris.
The Bushiris have had their bail of R400 000 revoked by the Pretoria Magistrates Court and face losing their multi-million property in Centurion. They are on trial with three other accused where they face fraud and money laundering charges in connection with an R120-million Ponzi scheme.
