Opinion / Columnist
UAE refuses SA's request to extradite Gupta brothers for money launder. Pattni and other Gold Mafia must be relieved
11 Apr 2023 at 11:19hrs | Views
Remember the many stories of State Capture involving former SA President Jacob Zuma and the Gupta brothers? Well whatever peanut butter bait the South African government was using in its Agatha Christie mousetrap, it snared Zuma and the Gupta brothers got away!
The South African authorities have been trying to get the Gupta brothers extradited from United Arabs Emirates (UAE) to South Africa to face charges of money laundering and fraud. The extradition request was turned down.
"We learnt with shock and dismay that the extradition have been concluded in the Dubai courts … on the 13th of February 2023, and our extradition request was unsuccessful," Minister Ronald Lamola of Department of Justice and Correctional Services revealed.
"The court found that on the charge of money laundering, the crime in question is alleged to have been committed in the United Arab Emirates and in South Africa."
Many of the big fish named in the ongoing Al Jazeera four part "Zimbabwe: Gold Mafia" documentary such as Kamlesh Pattni have settled in Zimbabwe but have set up shop in UEA and other countries. In the documentary Pattni is seen flaunting his amassed wealth from smuggling gold and money laundering.
Of course, every thinking Zimbabwean will be equally shocked and dismayed by the UAE court refusal to have extradited the Gupta brothers; the same court will no doubt refuse to have Pattni extradited to Zimbabwe to answer similar charges!
The real crying shame for both South Africa and Zimbabwe is that corruption has been rampant for decades and it was at the very heart of government. Worst of all, corrupt is still rampant in the two countries as the Al Jazeera documentary clearly shows and we really have no clue how to uproot it!
"He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon!" so goes the old adage.
The rot has spread to every segment of society right up to the core. How does one uproot the cancer when those in positions of power and authority are the godfathers and principal beneficiaries of the corruption!
The Zimbabwe mousetrap will catch the small-time gold smugglers operators such as the Airport and Bank staff, they will serve jail time. The likes Uebert Angel and Henrietta Rushwaya have powerful political connections and/or know too much to risk them incriminating the Zanu PF godfathers; it will be catch and release.
Mnangagwa and the rest of the Zanu PF godfathers will use their looted wealth to rig elections. The Al Jazeera documentary has only served to harden their resolve to rig the elections and stop regime change at all costs.
It does not matter how flawed and illegal the process get he knows the opposition will participate to give the process credibility and the result legitimacy. The opposition are paid and paid well to participate no matter what!
The Mafia masterminds like Kamlesh Pattni know they are safe in UEA, they will live to a ripe old age in unparallel luxury and comfort. Pattni never invested any of his looted wealth in Zimbabwe because he knew the country was corrupt and unstable – he should know, after all he has played his role in creating the rot and chaos.
The South African authorities have been trying to get the Gupta brothers extradited from United Arabs Emirates (UAE) to South Africa to face charges of money laundering and fraud. The extradition request was turned down.
"We learnt with shock and dismay that the extradition have been concluded in the Dubai courts … on the 13th of February 2023, and our extradition request was unsuccessful," Minister Ronald Lamola of Department of Justice and Correctional Services revealed.
"The court found that on the charge of money laundering, the crime in question is alleged to have been committed in the United Arab Emirates and in South Africa."
Many of the big fish named in the ongoing Al Jazeera four part "Zimbabwe: Gold Mafia" documentary such as Kamlesh Pattni have settled in Zimbabwe but have set up shop in UEA and other countries. In the documentary Pattni is seen flaunting his amassed wealth from smuggling gold and money laundering.
Of course, every thinking Zimbabwean will be equally shocked and dismayed by the UAE court refusal to have extradited the Gupta brothers; the same court will no doubt refuse to have Pattni extradited to Zimbabwe to answer similar charges!
The real crying shame for both South Africa and Zimbabwe is that corruption has been rampant for decades and it was at the very heart of government. Worst of all, corrupt is still rampant in the two countries as the Al Jazeera documentary clearly shows and we really have no clue how to uproot it!
"He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon!" so goes the old adage.
The rot has spread to every segment of society right up to the core. How does one uproot the cancer when those in positions of power and authority are the godfathers and principal beneficiaries of the corruption!
The Zimbabwe mousetrap will catch the small-time gold smugglers operators such as the Airport and Bank staff, they will serve jail time. The likes Uebert Angel and Henrietta Rushwaya have powerful political connections and/or know too much to risk them incriminating the Zanu PF godfathers; it will be catch and release.
Mnangagwa and the rest of the Zanu PF godfathers will use their looted wealth to rig elections. The Al Jazeera documentary has only served to harden their resolve to rig the elections and stop regime change at all costs.
It does not matter how flawed and illegal the process get he knows the opposition will participate to give the process credibility and the result legitimacy. The opposition are paid and paid well to participate no matter what!
The Mafia masterminds like Kamlesh Pattni know they are safe in UEA, they will live to a ripe old age in unparallel luxury and comfort. Pattni never invested any of his looted wealth in Zimbabwe because he knew the country was corrupt and unstable – he should know, after all he has played his role in creating the rot and chaos.
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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