Chang could be extradited to Mozambique in six months if Americans do not appeal – Thomashausen

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Chang could be extradited to Mozambique in six months if Americans do not appeal – Thomashausen

2:04 CAT | 14 Jun 2019

Photo: O País

South African lawyer André Thomashausen says Manuel Chang could be extradited to Mozambique six months after the extradition decision if there is no appeal from the United States. At the moment, there is no information on whether or not the United States will submit an appeal.

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

Precisely 24 days after the former Minister of Justice and Correctional Affairs of South Africa decided to extradite former finance minister Manuel Chang to Mozambique, South African public law expert Andre Thomashausen said in a telephone conversation with O País yesterday that Manuel had six more months in South Africa, the length of time the United States had to appeal the decision.

“The Justice Minister (of South Africa) has made his decision. This decision can be subject to judicial review within six months. The deadline is far off. I do not know if the United States has already made a formal appeal or asked the minister about any review of the decision – this is also unclear. But at the moment, there is no movement – nothing,” André Thomashausen explained.

Soon after the decision to extradite Manuel Chang to Mozambique, the United States embassy in South Africa reported that they were making efforts to request a review of the decision to extradite Manuel Chang to Mozambique. Accordingly, the United States of America has until 21 November to appeal the decision.

ALSO READ: “If Chang comes to Mozambique today, he will be arrested” – Parliamentary Speaker

The US Embassy in Pretoria, it will be remembered, said it heard with “great disappointment” the announcement of the then Minister of Justice and Correctional Services of the Republic of South Africa, who, “despite having received our formal request for extradition before [that of] the Republic of Mozambique, decided to extradite former Finance Minister Manuel Chang to Mozambique”.

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

In a note posted on the website of the Washington embassy, the US government urged “that the government of South Africa send Mr. Manuel Chang to the United States to stand trial for his alleged crimes, which have victimised American citizens and robbed the government of Mozambique of over US$700 million”.

By Orlando Macuácua

Os EUA já abordaram oficialmente o Governo sul-africano para não extraditar Manuel Chang para Moçambique enquanto aguarda-se pela decisão… https://t.co/TQy6FdGPpc

— RAFAEL R.D.MACHALELA (@rafaelmachalela) May 31, 2019