South Africa's High Court has granted the country’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) permission to sell a luxury jet belonging to fraud and money-laundering-accused Malawian fugitive preacher Shepherd Bushiri.

According to the online newspaper My Zimbabwe News, the March 26 court ruling authorises the NPA’s asset forfeiture unit to sell the Challenger 604 currently stationed at Johannesburg Lanseria.

The aircraft, purchased in 2019, is believed to have been bought with proceeds from unlawful dealings and is being held in a trust until the criminal case is concluded.

The court approval follows an application by the NPA to sell the aircraft as part of efforts to recover assets connected to Bashiri's ongoing case. He faces charges of money laundering, fraud, and violating the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

The same aircraft was seized by the NPA in 2020 but the matter was removed from the court roll at the time as the prosecution was not ready to proceed, reported Independent Online (IOL).

The Challenger 604, initially believed to be privately registered, was revealed to be under "Shepherd Bushiri Investments" (SBI). ch-aviation found that Shephard Bushiri Investments was registered in South Africa in 2015, but deregistered on September 20, 2024, for annual return non-compliance. Shephard Bushiri Investments International (UK) Limited was registered with UK Companies House in 2016 but was dissolved in 2019.

Shepherd and his wife Mary Bushiri had appeared before two different courts in South Africa on multiple criminal charges in 2020. They were granted bail pending trial but fled the country and were later located in Malawi.

South Africa submitted an extradition request to Malawi, seeking their return to stand trial on charges of rape, violating bail conditions, contraventions of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, the Banking Act, the Civil Aviation Act, and the Immigration Act.

On March 12, 2025, the South African Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Investment announced that Malawi’s Chief Resident Magistrate Court had granted the extradition request, but that that the pair intended to appeal the ruling, and that the South African government would oppose the appeal.