Bushiris get court interdict preventing Malawian police from arresting them
|Published
Malawian police issued a warrant of arrest against Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary but the couple obtained a court interdict blocking the arrest. Picture: Facebook
Johannesburg - Police in Malawi have issued a warrant of arrest against the self-proclaimed Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary.
Ephraim Nyondo, spokesperson for the charismatic preacher, said the Malawian police stormed one of Bushiri’s properties to effect the warrant of arrest on Sunday morning. However, Bushiri’s lawyers obtained a court interdict preventing the police from arresting them.
Bushiri and his wife fled South Africa last year while on bail. They are wanted on a raft of charges, including fraud and money-laundering.
Earlier, Malawian authorities refused Bushiri’s daughter a free passage to neighbouring Kenya to seek medical help. No explanation was given by the authorities for blocking the 8-year-old from travelling to Kenya for medical assistance, Nyondo said on Monday.
“I can confirm that on Friday, February 19, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s daughter was blocked from flying to Nairobi, Kenya, to seek medical attention.
She was accompanied by three guardians. Prophet Bushiri and Prophetess Bushiri were not part of the delegation,” he said.
“The daughter was duly referred by competent Malawi medical professionals to seek further medical treatment and all required immigration details were in place to facilitate her travel through a chartered air ambulance.”
Nyondo said no information was given regarding the blockage of the delegation.
“Up to date, my office hasn’t been supplied with any information as to why the child was denied the right to lawfully access medical attention after being duly referred by a competent medical practitioner. The child’s condition remains critical at the same medical facility which referred her to seek further medical attention in Kenya,” said Nyondo.
He said the Bushiri daughter had previously received medical attention in Kenya.
“The child has been flying there several times, and I am shocked with this isolated blocking,” said Nyondo.
“Shockingly, a few hours after the child was denied her right to good health and right to life, Malawi police issued a warrant of arrest for prophet Bushiri and prophetess Mary Bushiri. I still don’t have the grounds for the warrant and, according to the media, even the police haven’t explained the warrant.
“I have a strong belief in the leadership of this country and I am certain that it will positively consider our plea and request that the child must go and have medical care, just as she was referred by the doctor,” Nyondo said.
“Having worked with the prophet for many years, I have noticed he is a man of faith who believes that doctors treat, but God heals. He believes the child has a right to life and access to medical attention just like any other citizen.”
The Star