Chakwera denies smuggling Bushiri to Malawi: South Africa wants to extradite ‘fugitives of justice’
President Lazarus Chakwera has rejected assertions that he facilitated to smuggle Prophet Shepherd Bushiri on the President’s plane out of South Africa on Friday when the Malawi leader was returning home from a two-day visit of Pretoria.
Some social media outlets have been setting the narrative that Bushiri, leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) Church who has returned home in Malawi contravening his bail conditions was offered a ride on the President’s plane together with his wife, Mary.
The Malawi leader used a chartered flight to fly directly into Waterkloof Airforce Base, which is a national key-point reserved for South African Military and heads of state. Waterkloof airport does not conduct the same procedures and searches that are done at the normal airport, especially for the Presidents and their emissaries.
President Chakwera speaking through his spokesperson and Press Secretary Brian Banda said that is not true that he assisted Prophet Bushiri to jump bail in South Africa.
Said Banda: “The allegation that Prophet Shepherd Bushiri came on the same flight with the president is false.”
According to Banda, Prophet Bushiri’s situation was not even discussed during talks between the Malawi leader and South Africa President Cyril Rampahosa.
President Chakwera flew to Pretoria for a two-day working visit and met his South African counterpart on Friday. The two leaders engaged in bilateral talks along the lines of national development and cooperation between the two countries, including special permits for Malawian citizens working in South Africa.
It is reported that Bushiri arrived in Malawi earlier than President Chakwera’s home return.
His lawyer confirmed Bushiri arrived in Malawi while Chakwera was in Pretoria.
Chakwera’s departure in the rainbow nation was delayed several hours on Friday as the plane carrying him and his entrouge back to Malawi was subjected to search by South African security agents after Bushiri did not report to authorities as per his bail conditions, and there were whispers that the prophet might be smuggled out using the president’s jet. But he wasn’t on it.
South Africa police subjected Chakwera’s traveling party to searches multiple times at the Waterkloof Military Base in Pretoria and later ordered the entourage, except Chakwera and a few close aides, to go to OR Tambo Airport, from where they would board the President’s jet.
At OR Tambo the entourage checked in through the VVIP section under military and police escort all the way to the aircraft where a police officer literally checked every passport against the face of each passport holder.
Following delaying of president’s flight, State House issued a statement which said: “President Chakwera’s departure from South Africa has been delayed several hours due to clerical glitches in travel arrangements for Malawi State Officials who had travelled to South Africa ahead of the president’s arrival.
“As such, the president elected to wait until every Malawian in his delegation was assisted so that they could all be accounted for upon return. As the exercise is almost complete, His Excellency and his entourage will be departing anytime tonight.”
However, those in the diplomatic circles said the President does not have to wait for a forward planning team. A forward planning team is usually the last to leave the country, following the president.
When travelling between South Africa and Malawi, you do not need to do any “clerical” paperwork, except to take out your passport and get it stamped, and you pass. So the “clerical glitch” that State House statement referred to here could be far from the truth and that they were delayed for being wrongly suspected to assist Bushiri break bail conditions.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola has said they will seek an extradition process for Bushiri.
“Malawi is 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,” Lamola tweeted on Saturday.
But Bushiri said he and his wife “temporarily” left for Malawi due to safety concerns.
“There have been clear and evident attempts to have myself, my wife and my family killed and despite our several attempts to report to authorities, there has never been state protection,” Bushiri said.
The preacher claimed that he and his wife were being persecuted in South Africa.
He said they will only avail themselves once there’s an agreement to give him a fair, just and impartial trial.
The pair face charges of fraud, theft and money laundering and are currently out on bail.
Bushiri set five demands to ensure a fair, impartial, and just trial.
These include assurances of his safety while in the country and the assurance that their bail will not be revoked.
He also demanded that the investigating officers recuse themselves and that the complaints he lodged against them be investigated.
Bushiri further demanded that independent and “professional” investigators be appointed to “make independent decisions on the cases were are allegedly accused of.”
Questions are raised how he managed to return home when he had surrendered all his travel documents to South African authorities.
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Miracle escape 😂😂.sitingazinvetse but he didn’t travel with president enanu mwagodana now a president. You even don’t understand how those two don’t like each other
Kkk president has right to protect it’s citizen….congrats Lev. Chakwera.
Bushiri and the wife were most likely smuggled hidden in a vehicle across land borders into Malawi or else using false or duplicated passports. Bribes being paid along the way when necessary. South Africa’s and our borders are porous.
Many Malawians are in South African prisons, why the president , I mean the malawi president who we all respect as a gentleman faith and religious leader could thought to help only Bashiri. What is in the background.This is the stupid thing the president had to make
Komatu a Reverend Chakwera mufera za zii.
The truth will prevail no matter what
Don’t take Chakwera as one of the two stupid presidents who vandalized Malawi Bakili Muluzi and Muthalika Arthur. He can’t sink that low to smuggle in mbava ngati Bushiri.
Musathe mawu. Wavomeratu
I clear see the hand of our president. Though they didn’t travel together. He facilitated the move. He stole millions some of funded mcp
Anthu akhala akunena kuti munthu okuba uyu. Nanga taonani mpaka president kuthawitsa munthu
A man of God seeking assurance from man, demand a fair trial from man, afraid of dying at the hands of man, demands guarantee for his security from man. Oops something is missing here. I thought all these demands he can get them from God. Is it not evident enough that Bhushiri and God doesn’t know each other?
Both Chakwera and Bushiri’s stories do not add up. The timeline involved in the movement of these two people seem to tally and if you remember you will agree that at one point before Chakwera departed for South Africa he did mention that he would bring up Bushiri’s issue when he meets his counterpart only to tell us that during their discussions they didn’t discuss Bushiri’s issue, really? Well, Chakwera’s damage control crew are saying their boss knows nothing; if that holds then Chakwera as a responsible person, he should order his police and not wait for Interpol, to arrest Bushiri and his wife then send them back to SA soonest. In this global village we are living in now, there is no haven where you can take refuge and think the arm of the law won’t catch-up with you. The same SA govt sent back Chanthunya who took refuge there after murdering a girlfriend whose nationality was not Malawian. But for the fact that he committed a crime regardless of on whom, he was required to answer charges. Here Bushiri commits a crime in a foreign land and the head of state has the audacity to help him commit more hideous crimes whose repercussions will have very debilitating image on Malawi as a nation. If what Brian Banda is saying is true let Chakwera send the two criminals back to SA so that Malawians can believe and take Chakwera seriously, failing which he will continue to carry that stench with him wherever he goes as a person, let alone head of state.
Anti Christ will rule this world. His time is set and this will be after THE LORD HAS RAPTURED HIS OWN. See, widom is given by GOD to HIS children ; AND without which HIS children perish. We will not give ourselves to devils which unfortunately, you seem to be counting yourself as one. We will move out of devilish territories. You can’t know this and you cant understand either. Did you know GOD told Joseph to take Mary and the child and run to Egypt bcos Herod wanted to kill the child? DONT WORRY. YOU HAVE JUST BEGUN TO FEEL PAIN. BE RESDY NOW BCOS YOU HEART WILL BREAK.
They surrendered their travel documents, therefore, they could only be smuggled by Chakwera to come back home. In his statement, he lied that they arrived on Wednesday into Malawi. Why was he mute on his escape until Saturday evening after Chakwera had arrived early in the morning? If not on the president’s plane, how did he travel without docs? What mode of transport to cross countries into Malawi without being detected? You can fool some people some time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time!
It is so sad to hear this story of Man of God. First respect the president Dr Lazarus Chakwera
Why are you bringing in the president? Are you suggesting that he knows something.
search your empty brain
What if the authorities refuse to abide by these conditions. The judges and his defense lawyers must surely feel betrayed.
am not ECG member, but am happy bushiri is in malawi.
Govt should not be involved in this nonsense from South Africa. Let Ronald Lamola go to the courts of Malawi if he wants to extradite Bushiri. Bushiri should go to the courts to ensure the government will not extradite him arbitrary. Bushiri has legitimate claims that he was under persecution. Of course, I don’t agree with skipping bail but now that he is on Malawian soil, govt should not be arm-twisted or bullied by South Africans.
No smuggles happened. Bushiri has his own private jet, his own pilot. They took his money for bail. Why not go beck to Malawi. Only a fool would wait for the guillotine to slay. But even if Chakwera Smuggled him. Ambava onse amaba ali ndi kwao. Tsono imeneyi si nkhani. Kamweni tiyi wanu wa mafuta
Smuggle yomweyo kuti wa wa wa. Bushiri ndi dolo. kkkk. Atiuuze kuti anaba zingati apopo. kkkk. Musamuphatike nazo izi munthu wa mkuru. Bushiri is more connected that obwana o Chakwera. chonde a Nyasatimes khalani pansi imwani Wine wanu.
Your safety will definately be guranteed now coz they are going to revoke bail and through your ass back in jail where you won’t be persecuted, or your life threatened, you will be really safe behind bars…. kikikikikikikiki
This shows how arrogant this false Prophet is, you jumped bail and you are requesting that bail not be revoked?????? who do you think you are???? you have the nerve,you just demonstrated that you are a flight risk?????? you could have sought refuge at the Malawi Embassy
They are very xenophobic just imagine delaying the Malawi President jet for being wrongly suspected to assist Bushiri break his bail conditions. Imagine if they did this to our president what about Bushiri delaying him trial for the same reason is good you are home now prophet feel at home they’re xenophobic self hate just because you come from Malawi
1. By jumping bail he will never enjoy the privilege of bail i RSA again
2. He cannot dictate who to investigate his case. He can only discredit them in court
3. He will be extradited back mu unyolo
I’m eagerly awaiting to see Bushiri and his Flamboyant wife handcuffed escorted back to SA by the Scorpions, that will be a sight …….kikikikikikikikii
Only Corrupt and Criminal Minded person can Cross Boarders without Documents?
If he came by Any Flight How come our Airport Authorities Cleared him without Passport or Documents?
If he came by Road he needs to cross borders of Different Countries How he was Cleared?
He has Travelled to Malawi Illegally and Chakwera and His Team of Ministers has Assisted Him.
South Africa must not bully Malawi! SA justice system was in fact persecuting Bushiri.
Hmmmmmm?
Too early to be embroiled in this kind of rubbish even if it’s false.
Which I doubt.
I do not agree with what Bushiri has done. However, equally I do not agree with how the South African authorities handled his case from money laundering to immigration issues. What immigration issue with this man who has been in South Africa many years? It does not read like the South Africa I know!
So this is truly the uncontrollable downfall of the Bushiris? I never liked Bushiri as a prophet but I respected him as an entrepreneur. His downfall won’t be pleasant. Matama is another thing that is sending his agrave
It doesn’t look good for Chakwera.
Bushiri is a fugitive making press conferences Where does a fugitive get the courage to do that.
Easy when he has been smuggled by a head of state.
How do people like Brian Banda sleep at night knowing the truth and lying through their teeth.These are the same people that were asking others to resign in situations like these.
We are waiting for their resignations.
Too much hypocrisy in Malawi.
Extradite Bushiri but you can’t for fear awulila next we shall be told he left Malawi ali ku state house what idiots.
Kutha Kwa Shasha. Trickster can’t pass this line. Feeling sorry for the beautiful woman
Ma cadet muli pa galawuza wa miyala.
Gwape iwe cadet zikumukhuza pati?
Chakwera should not take Malawians as fools if he really helped smuggle Bushiri home and we’ll never trust him anymore because there are so many Malawian who are suffering what’s special with this fraudster in particular. Chakwera preaches about corruption so if he help him then he is not supposed to tell the people about corruption. Please ACB investigate all immigration officers in our ports of entry. Mkaka is the one who facilitated the talks in Pretoria about this fugitive, he shouldn’t deny it. It’s a shame that the president using taxpayers money to SA for this helping free the false prophet. Why fearing people who cannot destroy your soul if you are a man of God?
In acts 16 vs 24-36,we read that when apostle Paul and silas were in prison, they prayed and sung praises, the prison doors and chains fell apart but instead of fleeing or being smuggled, Paul and silas chose to stay put within the now fallen prison walls.
Here Mr bushiri didn’t even pretend. And it’s sad that bushiris escape will logically be seen to have been orchestrated by our beloved tonse alliance president. You can’t trust men of god these days.
Bishiri is an embarrassment to the State President. I hope Chimwendo Banda and Mtambo will arrest and export Bushiri ASAP
If Chakwera or Malawi govt. officials had a hand in this, ( which I doubt it) then they are not serious. They might as well discharge all fraud cases in Malawi.
Questions to Bushiri, why did he not use annointing oil for security issues he observed or use the bible as he always tell us to protect his family? Why did he stay in SA, if he claims concern from 2015? Why did he not mention security concerns during bail application?
In all this, he is going to put Malawi govt. or Malawians in a difficult position.