Principal Magistrate Viva Nyimba has described the arrest of Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary by the Malawi Police as unlawful and against the laws of Malawi.
In his ruling on Thursday afternoon, Nyimba ordered the release of Bushiri and his wife who are wanted fugitives of the South African government. He says the arrest was illegal and the State had no basis to keep the two remanded in Police custody.
Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary skipped bail in South Africa where they are facing Fraud and multiple Money Laundering charges.
The South African authorities have since forfeited Bushiri’s R5.5m Centurion home that he used as a surety for bail.
Bushiri, popularly known as ‘Major 1’, will be facing possible extradition from Malawi to answer the charges in South Africa. The ECG leader has maintained his innocence and shared his fears that he will not get a fair trial in South Africa.
