The case involving fugitive couple pastor Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary has been adjourned to December 14, the Malawian government said.
Malawi’s information minister Gospel Kazako: said “The high court sat to look at the (appeal) application, and there were certain technicalities that necessitated the judge to ask the state and Bushiri’s lawyers’ to make further submissions.”
The Malawian businessman and church leader, born Chipiliro Gama, appeared at the Lilongwe high court on Tuesday, where he and his wife challenged the constitutionality of their arrest.
This is after they handed themselves over to the police in their home country after a notice was issued by Interpol. The appeal related to a decision made by a lower court which had ruled their arrest unlawful.
Bushiri, also known as “Major 1”, and Mary mysteriously fled from SA last month. Their escape remains the subject of a police investigation.
The 37-year-old self-proclaimed prophet, who founded and leads the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church, was set to stand trial in SA in a case of alleged fraud and money laundering involving more than R100m.
His luxury mansion in Centurion has been seized and the couple forfeited a combined R400,000 bail money for contravening bail conditions set by the Pretoria central magistrate’s court.
Credit: New Zimbabwe