A major legal victory has been secured by Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary, after the Malawi High Court blocked their extradition to South Africa.
In a judgment delivered in Lilongwe on Friday, the High Court ruled that the previous decision by the Magistrate’s Court in March 2025 to send the couple back to South Africa was flawed. According to the ruling, the lower court did not adequately review the Bushiris’ claims—including concerns about their safety and allegations of intimidation by South African law-enforcement authorities.
The judge emphasized that the couple’s rights, including the right to life, were not fairly considered and noted that the extradition hearing had been unbalanced, with the Bushiris not being given sufficient opportunity to defend themselves.
As a result, the attempt to return the well-known church leaders to South Africa—where they are wanted on charges related to fraud and money laundering—has been halted.
Authorities in South Africa have not yet confirmed whether they will challenge the ruling by filing an appeal.
