Mozambique: 16 people arrested for alleged involvement in drug trafficking
Chang’s hearing suffers further adjournment
4:43 CAT | 10 Jan 2019
in file CoM
The first resort court of Kempton Park in Johannesburg, South Africa, has adjourned hearing of former finance minister Manuel Chang to January 18.
The adjournment comes at the request of Chang’s lawyers, who submitted a request for payment of bail to await trial at liberty.
Chang is accused by the US court of alleged involvement in corruption whilst a member of the Mozambican government.
However, the South African public prosecutor opposes the request for bail, taking into account the seriousness of the charges against Chang.
The prosecution team has classified the bail request at level five of the scale used for cases involving fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Chang’s lawyers are demanding, in turn, that his constituent be withdrawn from that level.
On Wednesday, however, the South African court ruled that the international arrest warrant issued by the United States Justice against the former finance minister and MP of the Assembly of the Republic was valid.
The mandate was validated by Judge Sagra Subrayen after the prosecution reiterated US charges for the arrest and extradition of Chang to the United States.
Defense lawyers had branded Chang’s arrest illegal and demanded his immediate release.
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