The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in agreement to cooperate with South Africa by offering assistance with regard to the Gupta family.

The UAE is a member of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) that can authorise the location and arrest of wanted people facing prosecution, EWN reports.

According to IOL, these extradition agreements between the two countries will help to ensure that the Guptas account for their “alleged hand in state capture.”

In a statement by UAE’s ambassador to South Africa, Mahash Alhameli, he says: “These agreements have been and remain key to the UAE in promoting judicial and legal cooperation with South Africa and strengthening bilateral relations between law enforcement institutions and partners on both sides.

“The agreement was based on the desire of both countries to mutually agree on principles to strengthen their extradition status in accordance with their respective constitutional principles, taking human rights into account,” he adds.

Along with their family, the Guptas are believed to have fled to the UAE in 2018 while investigations regarding the alleged corruption accusations were heightened at the time, IOL says.

Meanwhile, the Gupta family associate, Iqbal Sharma, was denied bail by the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Tuesday. His court appearance was related to the failed R288m Estina dairy project in the Free State, TimesLive reports.

Picture: Netwerk24

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