The wealthy preacher and his wife are expected to appeal against their extradition, which was ordered by a court in the Malawian capital, Lilongwe.

The South African government has welcomed the ruling by Malawi's Chief Resident Magistrates' Court that self-styled prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary should be extradited to South Africa to face several charges, including forgery, fraud, jumping bail and in Shepherd Bushiri's case, also rape.

In 2020, the wealthy preacher and businessman and his wife skipped bail and fled in mysterious circumstances to Malawi after appearing before two South African courts on criminal charges of rape, contraventions of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, the Banking Act, Civil Aviation Act and Immigration Act.

The South African government has since been trying to extradite them, pursuing a convoluted process through the Malawian courts.

On Wednesday, 12 March 2025, Lilongwe Judge Madalitso Chimwaza (sitting as Chief Resident Magistrate) ordered the pair to be extradited to SA to face charges of forgery, fraud and jumping bail and three rape charges against Shepherd Bushrii, according to Malawi's The Nation newspaper.

It added that Chimwaza had dropped some charges of theft, money laundering and racketeering over insufficient evidence.

The Nation reported that the court in Lilongwe had agreed to delay the extradition...