Bushiri’s daughter critical in hospital as lawyers fight arrest

Malawian Police swooped on one of Prophet Bushiri’s premises in a bid to effect a warrant of arrest, a move his lawyers have challenged through a court injunction the controversial pastor’s spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.

Bushiri’s spokesman Ephraim Nyondo said the arrest warrant had followed the blocking of Bushiri’s daughter from leaving Malawi to fly to Nairobi, Kenya to obtain medical treatment on Friday. 

“She was accompanied by three guardians. Prophet Bushiri and Prophetess Bushiri were not part of the delegation,” Nyondo said.

“The daughter, 8, was duly referred by competent Malawi medical professionals to seek further medical treatment and all required immigration details were in place to facilitate her travel through a chartered air ambulance,” he said.

Reason for blocking Prophet Bushiri’s daughter from travelling a mystery

Nyondo said his office had at this stage not received any information from government officials regarding why 

the child had been denied the right to lawfully access medical attention after a medical professional had referred her for the treatment.

“The child’s condition remains critical at the same medical facility which referred her to seek further medical attention in Kenya.  It must be underlined that this was not the first time for the child, due to her medical condition, to be referred to Kenya for medical attention,” Nyondo said.

“The child has been flying there several times and I am shocked with this isolated blocking.”

Warrant of arrest

“Shockingly, a few hours after the child was denied her right to good health and right to life, Malawi Police issued a warrant of arrest for Prophet Bushiri and Prophetess Mary Bushiri. I still don’t have the grounds for the warrant and, according to the media, even the police haven’t explain the warrant,” Nyondo said.

“Startlingly, on the morning of Sunday, Malawi Police stormed one of Prophet Bushiri’s premises to effect the warrant of arrest, a move which his lawyers challenged through a court injunction,” he said.

“I have strong belief in the leadership of this country and I am certain that it will positively consider our plea and request that the child must go and have medical care just as she was referred by the doctor.”

Nyondo added that he had worked with Bushiri for many years and “I have noticed that he is a man of faith who believes that doctors treat but it is God who heals. He believes the child has a right to life and access to medical attention just as any other citizen.”