Dismissal of Gupta extradition request ‘inexplicable’ - Lamola
Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola has told MPs that the government is still working on appealing the decision by the United Arab Emirates to turn down the Gupta extradition request.
South African authorities want Rajesh and Atul Gupta extradited from the United Arab Emirates to South Africa to face money laundering and fraud charges.
Lamola told the justice committee during a briefing on his department’s budget on Tuesday that the extradition request was dismissed “based on technicalities and inexplicable reasons”.
The UAE asserted that they had the right to prosecute the Guptas for money laundering charges as it is alleged to have taken place in both South Africa and the UAE.
According to the department, they had engaged the UAE’s justice minister on a regular basis to get an update on the extradition process, but the response was either delayed or denied.
The Guptas were arrested in Dubai in June 2022 after Interpol issued a red notice for the two brothers.
They are accused of involvement in state capture in South Africa during former president Zuma’s term in office.
Lamola told MPs he remained in contact with his counterpart in the UAE.
He said the government had expressed its displeasure with the turn of events and will appeal the decision to turn down the extradition request.
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