The brothers have used their South African passports to fly by private jet and have been visiting the Central African Republic, where they have sought asylum, the Paris-based publication said.
Atul & Rajesh Gupta were spotted in Switzerland in March, despite being in custody in UAE according to Justice Minister Ronald Lamola. The Guptas have been using their South Africa passports to travel by private jet around the world while South Africans think they are in Prison.
Atul and Rajesh Gupta, wanted by South African authorities on charges of money laundering and fraud, were seen in Switzerland in late March, even though the authorities in the United Arab Emirates say they are in custody pending extradition proceedings, Africa Intelligence reported, without citing anyone.
The brothers have used their South African passports to fly by private jet and have been visiting the Central African Republic, where they have sought asylum, the Paris-based publication said.
The Guptas were arrested in the United Arab Emirates in June 2022. They were detained after Interpol placed them on its most-wanted list. South Africa has requested the brothers’ extradition from the UAE, and is awaiting an update on the application.
The supposedly detained Gupta brothers, Rajesh and Atul, have reportedly been spotted in Switzerland.
A report by Bloomberg on Thursday said the pair were seen in the European country in late March despite the latest reports from the UAE that the brothers have been kept in custody since a failed bail bid in July 2022.
The publication attributed the Gupta sighting to online publication, Africa Intelligence. They said their last update on the duo remained factual.
Last month, the ministry expressed frustration at the long wait for an update on the status of the extradition application it filed with the UAE.
Minister Ronald Lamola expressed his concern after a visit by the department’s central authority to the UAE to ensure that the application met the requirements of the UAE authorities.
The Guptas are wanted back in SA to face criminal charges on two matters — the so-called Nulane and Estina cases.
A South African judicial inquiry into state corruption detailed close links between the Guptas and former President Jacob Zuma, with numerous witnesses alleging they worked hand-in-hand to siphon money out of state transport, power and arms companies and jointly decided who was appointed to the cabinet. The Gupta brothers and Zuma deny the allegations.
A call to the UAE Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital, was transferred to a spokesperson who didn’t immediately respond to a message left on their phone. Emails to the embassy weren’t immediately responded to.
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