A Malawian magistrate is expected to ask South African courts to hear witnesses in the extradition case of preacher Shepherd Bushiri.

South Africa's protracted efforts to extradite popular evangelist preacher "Prophet" Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary, from their home country Malawi should get a boost this week.

Malawi's courts are expected to ask South African courts to hear the testimony of South African witnesses in the long-delayed extradition hearing in Malawi of the Bushiris, who are wanted in South Africa for major fraud and money laundering.

The magistrates' court in the capital Lilongwe is to meet on Friday, 17 June and Malawi's prosecuting authorities are confident magistrate Patrick Chirwa will agree that the South African government should be instructed to have its courts record the evidence of the witnesses in South Africa.

Bushiri and his wife were arrested in South Africa in October 2020 on charges of fraud and money laundering in amounts totalling about R102-million. They fled to their home country Malawi in November 2020, a few days after the Pretoria Central Magistrates' Court granted them bail of R200,000 each.

South African authorities have asked Malawi to extradite them, but the Bushiris are resisting their extradition in court....