Bushiri takes legal aim at ex-DPP over daughter’s death

By Michael Martin//MALAWI

Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has directed his lawyers to initiate legal proceedings against former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Steve Kayuni for holding him responsible for actions that he claims contributed to the death of his eight year old daughter in 2021.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page, Bushiri recounted that during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, his daughter was set to fly from Malawi to Kenya for emergency medical care as local hospitals were overwhelmed and unable to provide the necessary treatment.

According to Bushiri, a travel injunction allegedly issued by Kayuni reportedly following instructions from South African authorities barred the child from leaving Malawi.

The young girl, critically ill at the time, was reportedly held at Lilongwe International Airport for five days while Bushiri’s legal team fought to have the injunction lifted.

“By the time the court finally allowed her to travel, she was already gone,” Bushiri revealed.

Although he stated that his family has forgiven Kayuni, Bushiri stressed that accountability is essential.

He accused certain officials of abusing their power without facing repercussions and said the lawsuit seeks to compel Kayuni to reveal which South African officials ordered the travel restriction.

“This case is not just about my daughter,” Bushiri explained.

“It’s about protecting every Malawian child’s constitutional right to life and access to medical treatment, as enshrined in both our laws and international human rights conventions.”

He went on to thank child rights advocates, legal experts, and human rights defenders who have stood by his family, declaring, “Justice delayed cost my daughter her life, but justice denied will not silence her story.”

Currently, Steve Kayuni has not issued any public response to the allegations.