Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary have won a major legal victory after the High Court in Lilongwe delivered its final ruling crushing efforts to extradite them to South Africa.
In a detailed 175-page judgment, the court laid out the reasons behind its earlier decision to throw out an extradition order issued against the couple, dealing a significant blow to South Africa’s long-running bid to bring them back to face legal proceedings.
The latest ruling confirms the court’s position that the extradition order granted in March 2025 could not stand because of serious procedural and legal flaws.
Among the most damaging findings was that the Bushiris were denied their right to be heard before the extradition order was made, a development the court found was sufficient to invalidate the process.
The decision cements the couple’s courtroom triumph and effectively slams the brakes on attempts to send them back to South Africa under the now-quashed order.
Bushiri’s lawyer, Wapona Kita, described the judgment as a definitive victory for his clients, saying the court had now fully explained why it ruled in their favour.
“The court has provided the detailed reasons after considering our submissions and grounds for review,” Kita said.
He added that the ruling means the Bushiris cannot be extradited under the order that was set aside by the court.
“Prophet Bushiri and his wife will no longer be extradited to South Africa under the quashed order,” he said.
Kita said the legal battle could only return to court if the State decides to challenge the High Court’s ruling.
“The only way forward now is through an appeal by the State,” he said.
The explosive judgment marks the latest twist in one of Southern Africa’s most closely watched legal sagas, which has drawn intense attention since the famous prophet and his wife left South Africa and returned to Malawi in 2020.
For now, the Bushiris have emerged victorious, with the High Court’s final ruling delivering a crushing setback to efforts to have them extradited.
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