US asks SA to hold onto former Mozambican finance minister Chang during legal review – Daily Maverick

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US asks SA to hold onto former Mozambican finance minister Chang during legal review – Daily Maverick

7:06 CAT | 30 May 2019

Robert Mearkle added that the US Embassy in Pretoria believed Chang was still in South Africa. File photo: AFP

The US Embassy in South Africa has formally asked the South African government not to extradite former Mozambican Finance Minister Manuel Chang to Mozambique while the US is seeking a legal review of Pretoria’s decision to do that, the ‘Daily Maverick’ reports.

Embassy spokesman Robert Mearkle, quoted by the same source, noted that US law allowed Chang, who is facing huge fraud charges in both the US and Mozambique, to be tried first in the US and then Mozambique.

But Mozambique law did not allow him to be tried first in Mozambique and then the US.

The spokesman to the US Embassy in South Africa said today:

“We have formally requested the government of South Africa, through diplomatic channels, to not extradite or remove Chang to Mozambique while the United States seeks reconsideration of the Minister of Justice’s May 21 decision through relevant legal mechanisms.

“We also note that US extradition law allows for Chang to face justice in both countries – first in the United States, then in Mozambique. Mozambican law does not offer the same provision.”

ALSO READ: Chang case: South Africa will notify Mozambique, the US and the Interpol “in the next few days”

Robert Mearkle added that the US Embassy in Pretoria believed Chang was still in South Africa, reports Dayly Maverick in an article signed by Peter Fabricius.

After the Kempton Park magistrate’s court ruled that he could legally be extradited to either the US or Mozambique, then Justice Minister Michael Masutha announced on May 21 that he would be extradited to Mozambique.

The new Justice Minister of South Africa, sworn in today, is Ronald Lamola.

New #SouthAfrica justice minister @RonaldLamola, who will have to decide on #ManuelChang #Mozambique #mzpol https://t.co/oHmLTujgGa

— Halfdan (@lynge_mangueira) May 29, 2019

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa’s Cabinet: Who’s in, who’s out

Former chairman of Mozambican Bar Association “perplexed” by SA’s decision on Chang

Statement on Ministry of Justice Decision on the Extradition of Manuel Chang – Press Statement at: https://t.co/9gg2DHofWd pic.twitter.com/VSqhSKfPf8

— US Embassy SA (@USEmbassySA) May 22, 2019