The government of South Africa has voiced its unease over the lack of communication from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding the extradition of Atul and Rajesh Gupta, who are wanted on charges of money laundering and fraud.
According to Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola’s statement on Thursday, the South African authorities have been attempting to ensure that the request for the return of the Gupta brothers meets the UAE’s requirements, but there has been no update on the matter. The South African Central Authority has made multiple inquiries with the UAE, but no progress has been made.
Lamola stated that the ministry is pursuing the issue through diplomatic channels, as per the extradition treaty between the two nations, and the most recent request is for an urgent meeting between the two central authorities and the ministers of justice and correctional services in both countries.
The Gupta brothers have been linked to former President Jacob Zuma in a South African judicial inquiry into state corruption, with several witnesses alleging that they collaborated to extract funds from state transport, power, and arms firms and jointly decided on cabinet appointments. The Guptas and Zuma have denied the allegations.
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