By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
Crisis is brewing between South Africa and Malawi over a controvertial Christian pastor, Shepherd Bushiri, who is facing charges of fraud and money laundering along his wife in South Africa.
The pastor, and founder of the Enlightened Christian Gathering, Bushiri, created the diplomatic row after skipping bail in South Africa and fled to his home country, Malawi.
The bone of contention is that Bushiri and his wife, Mary, were alleged to have fled South Africa on the Malawi’s presidential jet with President Lazarus Chakwera – something that has been denied by both Chakwera’s office and the South African authorities.
Bushiri, who had previously said that he wanted to clear his name, has now returned to his home country, Malawi, with his wife Mary.
Earlier this month, they were released on bail after being charged with fraud and money laundering.
He alleged that there had been attempts on his life and he accused the South African authorities of not offering protection.
Bushiri described his decision to skip bail as “a tactical withdrawal meant to preserve lives” while speaking to supporters on social media on Saturday.
There are also questions over whether the two countries will co-operate over bringing the couple back to South Africa.
The South African government announced on Sunday that they have started the process to bring the couple back from Malawi “to ensure that the two fugitives face justice”.
The statement pointed out that Malawi and South Africa had already promised each other to send back fugitives, as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on extradition.
But when Malawi’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Eisenhower Mkaka, was asked previously, he wouldn’t be drawn on the issue.
He told the BBC that it was the duty of the government to protect all Malawians, adding that President Chakwera is a staunch advocate fpr the rule of law and that all diplomatic channels will remain open.
The controversial millionaire preacher, Bushiri, has been referred to as one of the richest religious leaders in Africa.
He says he has cured people of HIV, made the blind see, changed the fortunes of the impoverished and, on at least one occasion, appeared to walk on air.
He grew up in Mzuzu, a city in northern Malawi and moved to Pretoria in South Africa where he leads his church – the Enlightened Christian Gathering.
He is so popular that he has been known to fill sports stadium with followers, according to BBC.
But he has also been accused of preying on poor people, desperate to improve their lives, by selling merchandise including “miracle oil”.
The authorities in Botswana shut down his church after it claimed that money could be summoned out of nothing, which contravened financial regulations.
