The Department of Justice and Correctional Services says two of the most wanted persons behind the infamous state capture in South Africa, Rajesh and Atul Gupta, have been arrested in Dubai.
The department’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said in a statement released Monday evening that they had received information from law enforcement authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that the two fugitives had been arrested.
“Discussions between various law enforcement agencies in the UAE and South Africa on the way forward are ongoing,” said Phiri.
“The South African government will continue to co-operate with the UAE,” he added.
Earlier, News24 reported that the two brothers were arrested on Friday by members of the Dubai Police’s Criminal Investigation Department.
The arrest of the pair comes just over four months after Interpol issued a red notice for them in connection with fraud and money laundering charges.
The Guptas are believed to have siphoned billions of rands out of the country after engaging in several illicit deals when they were running businesses in mining, media, IT and other sectors in the country a few years ago.
One of the cases they have been closesly linked to is the R24.9-million Nulane Investment fraud and money laundering case currently playing out in the Free State High Court.
It is set to resume in September. – Staff Reporter