The United Arab Emirates has revoked the extradition of South Africa’s graft suspects Gupta brothers
South Africa expressed shock and disappointment at the United Arab Emirates’ refusal to extradite two brothers accused of large-scale corruption in the Country.
According to S.Africa’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, the government was informed on Thursday evening of a Dubai court decision not to allow the extradition of business tycoons Atul and Rajesh Gupta.
“We learned with shock and dismay that the extradition hearing had concluded in the Dubai Court on 13 February 2023 and our extradition request had been denied,” Lamola said.
The Guptas are accused of conspiring with former President Jacob Zuma to steal state assets from South Africa, the continent’s most developed economy.
South Africa requested extradition in July of last year, a month after the two were arrested in Dubai.
The arrests came after Pretoria and the UAE signed an extradition treaty.
After migrating from India, the ultra-wealthy brothers established a sprawling family business empire in South Africa for more than two decades.
South Africa’s case revolves around an alleged 25-million-rand ($1.6-million) fraud involving an agricultural feasibility study.
