UAE court rejects South Africa's plea to extradite Gupta brothers

A United Arab Emirates court has dismissed South Africa's request to extradite Atul and Rajesh Gupta, brothers who face charges of political corruption.

South Africa received diplomatic communication from the UAE on April 6 that a UAE court had made the decision on February 13, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said on Friday.

"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 Guptas are accused of using their connections with Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018, to win contracts, influence cabinet appointments and siphon off state funds. 

Zuma and the Guptas have denied all wrongdoing.

The court had ruled that the UAE had jurisdiction to prosecute the Guptas for money-laundering offences alleged to have been committed in the UAE and South Africa, Lamola said.

He added that South Africa would "promptly appeal" the decision, which he said "flies in the face of assurances given by the UAE authorities".

READ MORE: South Africa’s Zuma gets 15 months’ jail for evading corruption inquiry

'National embarrassment'

In a statement, South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance party said the failed extradition bid was a "national embarrassment" and called for the Ministry of Justice and National Prosecuting Authority to appear before Parliament's portfolio committee on justice over the development.

The Indian-born brothers left South Africa after Zuma was unseated in 2018. 

A judicial inquiry established the same year to examine allegations of graft during Zuma's years in power has recommended criminal charges against the Guptas.

The UAE ratified an extradition treaty with South Africa in April 2021, a move South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government had hoped would lead to the return of the Guptas to face charges.

READ MORE: South Africa's Ramaphosa admits ANC 'mistakes' before corruption panel