CAPE TOWN, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The South African Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on Wednesday unanimously adopted an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), paving the way for extradition of suspects embroiled in state capture allegations.
This treaty is meant to strengthen and reinforce cooperation between the two countries in combating crime, committee chairperson Madipoane Mothapo said.
The treaty came about after South Africa and the UAE became deeply concerned about the magnitude of a rising trend in acts of international terrorism and organized crime, said Mothapo.
Along with the extradition treaty, the committee also adopted a treaty on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters between South Africa and the UAE.
Mothapo said the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services, which submitted the extradition treaty, hah assured the committee that the treaty will be applied retrospectively with specific reference to the Indian Gupta family, which has been accused of collaborating with a number of senior South African government officials in looting from the state coffer, known as state capture.
Several senior members of the Gupta family who are wanted by South African law enforcement agencies are reportedly residing in Dubai, the UAE.
The treaties were signed on Sept. 25, 2018.
The committee was told that the two treaties are a two-way process and delays can take place on either side, according to Mothapo.
According to Mothapo, the South African Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services has received seven or eight requests for mutual legal assistance to other countries from the South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation in criminal matters regarding investigations into state capture.
