A South African court has issued an arrest warrant for Malawian evangelist, Shepherd Bushiri, and his wife, Mary, after they fled the country at the weekend.
The couple is due to stand trial on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering involving US$6 million.
They were arrested in mid-October and granted bail. The cleric’s assets which include a Gulfstream private jet have been seized.
It is not known how they left South Africa because their passports were confiscated, but Bushiri made a televised address in Malawi on Saturday, stating that he was concerned about their safety.
South African government spokesperson, Phumla Williams, confirmed that the warrant was issued by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
Meanwhile, the Malawian government on Monday issued a statement saying that President Lazarus Chakwera and his delegation was denied permission to leave South Africa on Friday night amid repeated searches, which the Malawi government regards as a serious breach of protocol. (PANA)
