South Africa’s request to have controversial Gupta brothers, Atul and Rajesh extradited has been rejected by a court in the United Arab Emirates.
South Africa’s Justice Minister, Ronald Lamola made the revelation on Friday that the brothers who are facing charges of political corruption will not be sent home for trial.
South Africa received diplomatic communication from the UAE on April 6 that a UAE court had made the decision on Feb. 13, Lamola said.
“In the evening of the 6th of April 2023, we were provided with a note verbale from the UAE in which we learnt with shock and dismay that an extradition hearing had been concluded in the UAE courts on the 13th of February 2023 and our extradition request was unsuccessful,” Lamola told reporters.
The corruption trial of the former South African President, Jacob Zuma took a new twist in June 2022 as the two brothers from the wealthy Gupta family were arrested in the United Arab Emirates in relation to Zuma’s case.
The charges are in connection with their role in aiding former South African president Jacob Zuma’s alleged corrupt influencing of contracts and cabinet appointments, and siphoning off state funds while in office.
The minister added that South Africa would “promptly appeal” the decision, which he said “flies in the face of assurances given by the UAE authorities”.
Jacob Zuma is also accused of taking bribes from the French defense group Thales. He is being charged with 16 counts of fraud, corruption, and racketeering. Thales is also charged with bribery and money laundering.