Johannesburg – The notorious Gupta family, synonymous with alleged corruption in South Africa, may yet be brought to book after the South African ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reaffirmed that the extradition agreements between the two countries still stand.
Mahash Alhameli, the UAE’s ambassador to South Africa, has said that the agreements, on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition between South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, were signed in 2018.
They were subsequently ratified by both countries, with the UAE doing so on 11 April this year.
“These agreements have been and remain key to the UAE in promoting judicial and legal cooperation with South Africa and strengthening bilateral relations between law enforcement institutions and partners on both sides,” the ambassador’s office said in a statement.
Have you read: ANC Luthuli house staff to strike over salaries
The extradition agreement, he said, was aimed at preventing crime on the basis of mutual respect for the sovereignty of both countries, strengthening cooperation in combating serious crimes, including organised crime, and ensuring that criminals were not denied justice.
“The agreement was based on the desire of both countries to mutually agree on principles to strengthen their extradition status in accordance with their respective constitutional principles, taking human rights into account.”
You may also be interested in: Gupta “associate” Iqbal Sharma denied bail
The National Prosecutions Authority (NPA) announced, last week, that it applied to the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to assist with the execution of arrest warrants for two Gupta brothers and their wives.
Also read: Pressure mounts on the Guptas over Estina looting
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
Sunday World
