Unresponsiveness of UAE to Gupta Extradition Request Disregard to Bilateral Treaty, says Justice Minister Lamola

South Africa's Justice Minister, Ronald Lamola, has expressed discontent over the United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s inaction in handling the extradition case of Atul and Rajesh Gupta. In a recent response to queries in the National Council of Provinces, the minister pointed out the UAE's violation of an extradition treaty between both nations, which stipulates that the Emirates should have commenced prosecution of the Guptas on money laundering charges.

Lamola, part of the security cluster of ministers, stressed on the lack of clarity from the UAE authorities on several matters regarding the extradition request, a diplomatic plea spearheaded by his department to bring the Gupta brothers back to South Africa. They face charges related to state capture.

Contrary to some allegations, Lamola refuted claims of mishandling the extradition by his department. He reiterated that all processes for the extradition request were correctly executed. He cited that the treaty with the UAE articulates that if there is enough reason to charge the Guptas for money laundering, the UAE, due to their competent jurisdiction, is obliged to initiate the charges.

To date, the UAE has not made any move. Lamola commented, "The treaty is very clear. It says that if you believe you’ve got competent jurisdiction on the charge of money laundering, you must charge the Guptas. The UAE authorities did not do as per what the treaty says, and that is the point of contention that we raised with them."

Despite these challenges, Minister Lamola has affirmed his dedication to ensuring the extradition of the Gupta brothers to South Africa, stating this is far from over.