Mozambique: PGR acknowledges that Manuel Chang will be extradited to the US

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Mozambique: PGR acknowledges that Manuel Chang will be extradited to the US

6:15 CAT | 25 May 2023

File photo: O País

The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) of Mozambique admitted today that former finance minister Manuel Chang will be extradited to the US in connection with the ‘hidden debts’ case, “there being no more space for appeal”.

The Constitutional Court of South Africa this Wednesday rejected, for the second time in 12 months, a new appeal by the PGR against the extradition of former minister Manuel Chang to the US.

In a press release, the PGR acknowledges that, in practice, the decision of the South African court means that the former minister will be handed over to the US judicial authorities , which intend to try him for his alleged involvement in the case of the undeclared debts.

On Wednesday, the South African Constitutional Court “ordered the extradition of Manuel Chang to the United States of America, a decision taken by the last instance, with no further room for any appeal,” the communique issued by the PGR reads.

“This decision has negative implications for ongoing cases in Mozambique and abroad. Mozambique continues to understand that its grounds [for Manuel Chang’s repatriation request] are valid and, unfortunately, at no time were they attended to by the South African courts,” the text continues.

For the Mozambican PGR, the only jurisdiction competent to try Manuel Chang is that of Mozambique, because that is where the incidents occurred, and the injured parties are the Mozambican state and people.

“We will continue with the proceedings brought against Manuel Chang until their conclusion, using all available accountability mechanisms,” the statement advances.

The PGR points out that the former minister of finance is accused and has already been indicted by the Judicial Court of Maputo City within the scope of an autonomous process on the undeclared debts.

On Tuesday, South African jurist André Thomashausen told Lusa that the SA Constitutional Court had dictated “the end of the ending of appeals” from Mozambique against the extradition of its former finance minister Manuel Chang to the US.

“It is the end of a very extensive judicial process that has dragged on for well over four years of appeals against the extradition of Manuel Chang,” advanced the jurist and retired professor, a specialist in international law.

At the age of 63 (he is now 67), Manuel Chang was arrested on December 29, 2018, at O.R. Tambo airport in Johannesburg on his way to Dubai, under an international arrest warrant issued by the US in December, 2022, on the basis of his alleged involvement in the so-called ‘hidden debts’ case.

Source: Lusa