South African Authority Undeterred by Guptas' Extradition Delays

The National Prosecuting Authority seemingly has no intention of allowing delays that may be caused by efforts to extradite the Guptas brothers from the UAE, to affect the start of a R24-million criminal case in the Free State province. The NPA intends to apply in the coming weeks to separate the trial of the Guptas former associate Iqbal Sharma, his brother-in-law and three former government officials from that of their more prominent co-accused, writes Jessica Bezuidenhout for Daily Maverick.

The Guptas are not in South Africa and the state has obtained arrest warrants for brothers Atul and Rajesh and their wives Chetali and Arti in connection with the case. They are among a group facing charges relating to a 2011 contract awarded to Sharma's company, Nulane Investments 204, to perform due diligence on what would later become the Estina Dairy Project.

Key figures behind alleged state capture, the Gupta brothers reportedly expanded their business interests through their supposed close ties with former South African president Jacob Zuma. Zuma has been accused of having "sold executive power" to the controversial family whose ties to high-ranking officials have been examined in the Zondo Commission of Inquiry's probe into alleged state capture.