The Democratic Alliance (DA) says the escape of the leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church, Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary, has brought into question the ability of law enforcement agencies to maintain safety and security.
The party says Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi must account for the escape.
The party says government must begin a process of extraditing the fugitive couple.
DA’s Spokesperson of Home Affairs, Angel Khanyile, says Motsoaledi must appear before the committee and account on the department’s failure to manage ports entries that even wanted fugitives can pass through.
Khanyile also says the minister must tell South Africans how Bushiri was granted South African citizenship.
She added that the scape is a slap in the face of millions of South Africans who deserve swift justice for the crimes committee by the BushiriS and that it seems as if there’s nothing stopping criminals from evading justice in the country by border-hoping when Home Affairs has no control.
I am still too emotional to say how I arrived in Malawi: Bushiri
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola says he cannot rule out the possibility of extraditing Enlightened Christian Gathering Church leader and his wife to South Africa.
In a tweet on Saturday night, Lamola said Malawi is a signatory to the SADC protocol which facilitates extradition in a situation in which a person commits an offence that is punishable by law in both countries.
The Bushiris were arrested last month on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering in connection with an R102 million investment scheme. They cited safety concerns and unfair court proceedings as reasons for their decision to leave the country. They are demanding that the South African government guarantee their safety before they return for their trial.
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. pic.twitter.com/sUE8pZrfzB
— Minister of Justice and Correctional Services ?? (@RonaldLamola) November 14, 2020
