The South Africa government says it will not hesitate but to ask the Malawi government to extradite Prophet Shepherd Bushiri who sneaked out of the country on Friday evening, defying several bail conditions in the process.
Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s Minister of Justice says they will ask Malawi government to extradite Bushiri because Malawi is as a signatory of the SADC protocol and other legal instruments on extraditions.
“We will not hesitate to invoke these provisions and instruments to assist law enforcement agencies to extradite fugitives of justice.” tweeted Lamola.
Malawi and South Africa have maintained cordial relationship which has seen the two countries enjoying extradition conditions.
The most recent was the case of murderer Misozi Chanthunya who was extradited from South Africa where he had been hiding. Both governments are yet to comment on the issue.
Commenting on the development, a reknown lawyer in Malawi Nicely Claude Msowoya writes, “Committing by your own signature that you will abide by the conditions of bail and actually pitiously pleading to be released on those conditions only to thereafter abscond is the greatest form of treachery and dishonesty.
“And then to expect the same court to believe your story when your turn comes to tell it. Mwina maganizidwe a uzimu sitingawamvetse.”
