Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has reserved his ruling until Tuesday next week on an application by the State for the South African witnesses to testify virtually and not physically in the Bushiris extradition case.

The court had initially ruled that the witnesses must be physically in court and were due in court today.

But the state through the Director of Public Prosecutions DPP Dr Steve Kayuni said the Covid-19 pandemic and other logistical challenges have pushed them to apply for the witnesses to give evidence via video conferencing.

Lead lawyer for the Bushiris, Wapota Kits, has asked the court to throw out the application, arguing that it lacked legal basis among others.