They are suspected by South African justice of being at the heart of the corruption system set up by Jacob Zuma: Dubai announced on Tuesday June 7 that it was finalizing the extradition of two brothers from the sulphurous South African Gupta family.
Arrested in the United Arab Emirates, they are accused of being involved in a vast state corruption scandal in South Africa involving the former president.
South Africa, which has been seeking for years to bring Atul and Rajesh Gupta to justice, announced on Monday that it had received information from the authorities of the United Arab Emirates – of which Dubai is a part – on the arrest of the two fugitive brothers.
"Dubai Police have arrested Atul and Rajesh Gupta, among South Africa's most wanted suspects, in connection with criminal and money laundering charges," it said in a statement.
The arrest came following a wanted notice from Interpol, an international organization facilitating police cooperation, currently headed by an Emirati official.
Towards a trial in September
Authorities in both countries are finalizing extradition proceedings for the Gupta brothers, Dubai police said, underscoring the state's determination to fight money laundering – the Gulf emirate has long been accused of being a haven for financial offenders around the world.
Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, three brothers of Indian origin and sulphurous businessmen, are accused of looting state coffers, with the complicity of Jacob Zuma, during his nine years in power between 2009 and 2018 .
Interpol issued a wanted notice in July against Atul and Rajesh in connection with a dodgy €1.5 million contract involving a company linked to the family.
The trial in South Africa had been postponed in July in the absence of the defendants.
A new hearing was then set for September 6.
With AFP
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