The Department of Justice and Correctional Services has eventually confirmed that the United Emirates Arabs (UAE) turned down South Africa’s request to have the Gupta brothers extradited to South Africa to face charges of money laundering and fraud.
This was revealed by the department’s minister, Ronald Lamola, on Friday morning during an impromptu press conference which was called after it was reported that the Guptas brothers were recently spotted in Switzerland, Europe.

Lamola said they were informed of the court’s decision through a note verbale (a diplomatic communication from one government to another, delivered through each other’s diplomatic representatives).

Lamola gave a long timeline of how they dealt with the matter, even saying at some point, they raised concerns when the UAE was not giving them information on the court appearances of the Gupta brothers.

“On the 6th of April 2023, which is yesterday, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services engages the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates directly, and he advised that a note verbale from the United Arab Emirates was received on the 5th of April 2023 after an enquiry from our side when we read some newspaper articles in relations to the matter.

He said it was then that they learnt that the court process was concluded, and the request by South Africa to extradite the Guptas was duly turned down.

“We learnt with shock and dismay that the extradition have been concluded in the Dubai courts … on the 13th of February 2023, and our extradition request was unsuccessful.

“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 in South Africa. IOL

NewsdzeZimbabwe at Friday, April 07, 2023
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