It remains unclear how fugitives, Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary, fled from South Africa to their native Malawi last week.

However, they did not escape on the plane of Malawian president Lazarus Chakwera, which left South Africa on Friday, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi assured the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs.

Over the weekend, it emerged that the corruption-accused, self-proclaimed prophet and his wife were on the lam in Malawi after they skipped bail.

The Enlightened Christian Gathering church leader, together with his wife and three others, are accused of fraud involving around R102-million.

The couple was out on R200 000 bail each. On Friday, they didn't appear for their check in with police – a bail condition.

On Saturday,  in an interview broadcast on the church's social media, they said that they fled because they believed their lives were in danger and they would not get a fair trial in South Africa.

Searched

Motsoaledi said after they didn't report to the police, officers went to the Waterkloof Airforce Base shortly after 18:00 where Chakwera's delegation was due to depart from, and a "meticulous process started".

The passport of each person, bar the president and his wife, were scrutinised and the person compared to their passport photo. The plane was also thoroughly searched.

From Waterkloof, the plane stopped at OR Tambo, to pick up the rest of the Malawian delegation who were not entitled to leave via Waterkloof because they entered the country at OR Tambo. Again, the plane was searched.

Motsoaledi said the date of Chakwera's state visit – 13 November – was set by the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, so it was provided by South Africa - not Malawi.

Motsoaledi added that they also confirmed that the Bushiris didn't fly to Malawi from Lesotho.

He said the last time the Bushiris officially went through a South African port of entry was when they entered the country on 19 January 2019 at OR Tambo International Airport.

Motsoaledi said he was angry when the Bushiris were granted bail.

"And I still am because I never believed in my wildest dreams that Bushiri will be given bail, because I suspected what will happen."

The Department of Home Affairs advised that the Bushiris were a flight risk and should not be granted bail.

"It is common cause, chairperson, that we're suffering from porous borders," Motsoaledi said.

"We believe people who are a flight risk can go through any of our porous borders."

The department also found that the Bushiris' stay in South Africa wasn't regular. They issued him with notice and asked him to provide reasons why his permanent residence permit should not be withdrawn.

The Bushiris, who were already on trial, took Home Affairs to court, and asked that they would not be asked any questions because they could incriminate themselves. The court suspended Home Affairs' actions.

"We were very upset by this ruling," said Motsoaledi.

The department appealed and the appeal was heard on Friday.

Motsoaledi said he did not know how the Bushiris entered Malawi. He confirmed that a warrant of arrest had been issued for the Bushiris and that their bail was revoked. International law requires any country belonging to Interpol to arrest the Bushiris.

"It appears the minister does not know how Bushiri got to Malawi," said committee chairperson Bongani Bongo, himself not unfamiliar with bail conditions.

The committee, from across the political spectrum, was concerned about the events.

Motsoaledi's briefing on Tuesday is considered a preliminary briefing. He said the matter involved the whole Justice, Peace and Security Cluster, and that they would compile a comprehensive report on the matter, which would be tabled before Parliament.