Johannesburg – South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal signed documents on Tuesday rejecting Mozambique’s effort to appeal against the extradition of corruption-accused former finance minister Manuel Chang, paving the way for his transfer to the United States.
Chang has been held in South Africa since 2018 at Washington’s request over his alleged involvement in the huge “hidden debt” scandal, in which he is alleged to have used the US financial system to commit fraud.
South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal concluded that “there is no reasonable prospect of success in an appeal and there is no other compelling reason why an appeal should be heard”, dismissing the application on December 8.
The court formally signed and issued the dismissal on Tuesday.
The scandal arose in 2016 after state-owned companies illicitly borrowed $2 billion in 2013 and 2014, during Chang’s term, from international banks to buy fishing and surveillance vessels.
It triggered a sovereign debt default and currency collapse in the troubled southern African country.
ALSO READ | Mozambique ex-president’s son, ex-spy bosses jailed for 12 years for graft
Earlier this month a Mozambican court sentenced two ex-spy bosses and the son of former president Armando Guebuza to 12 years each for their part in the corruption scandal.
Of the 19 accused, eight defendants were acquitted, while the rest were handed custodial terms between 10 and 12 years.
An independent audit found $500 million of the loans had been diverted. The money remains unaccounted for.
South Africa’s justice ministry had initially agreed to extradite Chang to Maputo.
A coalition of Mozambican civil society groups challenged that decision, arguing that he might receive immunity in his home country.
In March, the IMF issued $456 million of credit to debt-ridden Mozambique.
It was the first such agreement concluded since the scandal erupted, to support economic recovery and public debt reduction programmes.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@luisnhachote
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
