Bushiri to spend first night in police custody in Malawi
Shepherd Bushiri will spend his first night in police custody at his home country Malawi following his arrest for skipping bail in South Africa.
RUSTENBURG, November 18 (ANA) – Fraud accused Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary will their first night in police custody in Malawi, local media reported on Wednesday.
The couple handed themselves to the police in Lilongwe on Wednesday, following a warrant of arrest which was effected in South Africa on Tuesday.
Independent newspaper The Nation reported on its online version Nation Online that one of their lawyers confirmed the couple would spend the night at Lumbadzi police station.
The couple was expected to appear in the Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court for a bail application hearing on Wednesday afternoon, but local media reported that the hearing would be in chambers and the Bushiris would not be required to be present.
They left South Africa mysteriously and fled to their home country, Malawi, claiming security concerns.
The couple is facing charges of theft, money laundering and fraud relating to an investment scheme.
They were each released on a R200 000 (about US$12,881) bail each at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on November 4, following their arrest in October.
As part of their bail they were only allowed to travel within Gauteng and North West until the case was finalised. The couple own a hotel in Rustenburg in North West.
Their bail was revoked and a warrant of arrest was issued.
The self proclaimed prophet said he has strong belief in the constitution of Malawi because it protects its every citizen including him and his wife, that was the reason he fled to Malawi.
“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 maintain my innocence until proven guilty,” he said in a statement to SADC communities before they handed themselves to the police.
On Saturday Bushiri put forward five demands he wanted South Africa to met before he could returned to stand trial.
He demanded that Pretoria should not revoke their bail, assured them that they would be safe and change the team of police officers assigned to the case, prosecutor and magistrate claiming that as black man he would not have a fair trail in a case investigated and presided by white people.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Naomi Mackay
