Justice Dept shocked as Gupta extradition denied
The Department of Justice says South Africa's application to extradite the Gupta brothers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has failed.
Fugitives Atul and Rajesh Gupta are accused of profiting from their close links with former President Jacob Zuma and siphoning state funds.
Minister Ronald Lamola revealed this during a media briefing on Friday.
"In the evening of the 6th of April 2023, we were provided with a note verbale from United Arab Emirates. In which we learnt with shock and dismay that the extradition hearing had been concluded in the Dubai Court on the 13 February 2023 and our extradition request was unsuccessful," says Lamola.
A court in the UAE rejected the extradition application on a technicality.
"The court found that on the charge of money laundering the crime in question is alleged to have been committed in the United Arab Emirates and South Africa, in terms of the Federal laws of the United Arab Emirates extradition can be denied because the United Arab Emirates has the jurisdiction to prosecute the crime."
Lamola says they will peruse all avenues when they appeal against the decision.
"South Africans would be justified to believe that they are being denied justice, and we will act in accordance with this belief.
"We will call upon our counterparts in the United Arab Emirates to honour the letter and spirit of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption by ensuring that these matters raised are clarified with a degree of urgency."
