By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJOD) will lead a delegation to Malawi for the extradition hearing of controversial pastor Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary.
The hearing is expected to be heard in the Malawi High Court next Tuesday.
In February, the Malawi High Court ruled that section 6 of the Extradition Act of Malawi clarified that the witnesses or relevant witnesses to a preliminary inquiry/extradition hearing are those witnesses who will be able to answer and convince the Court conducting the inquiry on section 6 of the Malawi Extradition Act.
This after the Bushiri couple applied in court in August last year that witnesses from South Africa physically appear in court in Malawi to testify in the extradition case.
Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services spokesperson Chrispin Phiri says the delegation to Malawi is in line with the department fulfilling its role as a central authority.
“The delegation’s participation to the hearing is in line with section 6 of the Extradition Act of Malawi.
“It consists of senior and highly experienced prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority, the Investigative Directorate and investigators from South African Police Services.”
Bushiri and his wife are wanted in South Africa on charges of fraud and money laundering for their role in an alleged investment scheme worth some R100 million.