Investigating Directorate to submit fresh extradition application for Guptas

Cape TOWN - The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) says it will submit a fresh extradition application to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Gupta brothers for additional State capture matters. 

This is despite the lack of success to date, in trying to get the brothers to face trial in South Africa in the Estina dairy farm and Nulane cases. 

On Wednesday, IDAC head Andrea Johnson told Parliament in the interest of justice and given the public interest in these matters, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) won’t give up, even though diplomatic efforts to understand the shortcomings have been ignored.

The failure of the State to successfully extradite Gupta brothers Atul and Rajesh has been a blight on the NPA’s progress in prosecuting State capture matters. 

But Johnson told Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) that despite not knowing where it’s gone wrong in previous attempts, it will once again be submitting an extradition application.

“We have now, however, taken a decision to submit new applications with additional matters.”

She says 12 diplomatic notes (notes verbales) to the UAE government to understand why previous applications have failed, have been met with silence.

“How do you resubmit, when you’ve submitted a full set of papers, properly checked by themselves? So, it does put you in somewhat of a predicament. Do you now send these papers to be a so-called failed attempt again?”

NPA head Shamila Batohi says by and large the authority is successful in extradition applications in other countries, but the UAE has proven particularly difficult.