The Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe has upheld four out of ten charges against Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary.
The charges requiring Bushiri to stand trial in South Africa include alleged rape (against the prophet) and, for both, violations of bail conditions, forgery, and fraud.
The defense has announced plans to appeal the ruling to the High Court and has requested that the Bushiris remain on bail until further directives are issued. They also applied for a 30-day stay order, which the court granted.
Since the Magistrate’s Court lacks jurisdiction to grant bail to fugitives, the matter has been referred to the High Court. The defense is expected to apply for bail during the stay order, meaning the Bushiris will remain on bail for now.
The couple was arrested in South Africa in October 2020 but fled to Malawi in November of the same year.
The Malawi Government is represented in the case by Dzikondianthu Malunda, Director of Criminal Litigation in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
