Umamah Bakharia 

It has been confirmed that alleged State Capture masterminds Rajesh and Atul Gupta are still in prison after they were arrested in Dubai in June.

The arrests follow four months after Interpol issued a red notice for them on a fraud and money laundering charge linked to the R24.9 million Nulane Investment scam.

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, at a media briefing, confirmed that a former request for their extradition from the UAE was filed on Monday.

Speaking to Radio Islam, justice departments spokesperson Chrispin Phiri says that due to the extradition treaty provisions that were signed in 2021, an extradition request should be submitted within 60 days after the arrest of a fugitive. This halted the process.

“The matter will be heard at the appeal court in the UAE to hear the extradition request and pronounce on whether these individual are extraditable or not and there after the matter will be referred to the executive – the minister of justice who will advice on whether they surrender the individuals to teh juristriction for where they are required in,” says Phiri.

The government says they are awaiting the UAE justice minister’s decision on the extradition.

“We cannot place a time frame on the matter because the brothers may decide to litigate against the request,” he says.

When the Gupta brothers were arrested, the South African government “did not know exactly where they [were] in the world, so the first step was to ensure that Interpol put out a red notice,” says Phiri. He confirms that only in June did the country get confirmation that the Gupta brothers were in the UAE.

The National Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed that the brothers are in custody in the UAE.