Lamola expected to be called in Parly to account for bungled Gupta extradition
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says the justice department and the National Prosecuting Authority must be held to account for failing to extradite Atul and Rajesh Gupta from the United Arab Emirates.
CAPE TOWN - Justice Minister Ronald Lamola is expected to be called to Parliament to explain the bungle in the extradition of state capture masterminds, Atul and Rajesh Gupta.
Lamola revealed over the weekend that South Africa’s extradition request was denied by the United Arab Emirates in February already, but the government was only informed of the decision last week.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Glynnis Breytenbac labelled the incident as a national embarrassment and demanded answers.
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Lamola’s explanation that the government was kept in the dark on its extradition application for the Gupta brothers, was not met with sympathy from the main opposition.
Breytenbach said Lamola is derelict in his duty.
"The Department of Justice was by all accounts only informed of this monumental failure on the 6th of April. This begs the question of what the criminal justice cluster has been doing for the past year. Each query has been met with platitudes and hollow assurances that everything was under control. Clearly, this was far from the truth."
Justice Committee Chairperson Bulelani Magwanishe confirmed Breytenbach’s request for Lamola and the National Prosecuting Authority to appear before the oversight committee.
"We will have to schedule it after tomorrow where the minister of justice ought to explain to Parliament what really happened."
Breytenbach said with the Guptas once again free, the State's intention to prosecute those complicit in state capture had to be questioned.Government must account for failed Gupta extradition, says DA
