Ajay free to walk streets of SA, says NPA

Prosecuting authority withdraws Gupta brother’s warrant of arrest

Ajay Gupta is no longer a fugitive from justice – with the National Prosecuting Authority confirming in writing that the arrest warrant issued against him for corruption has now been cancelled.

The cancellation of the warrant, issued in connection with an alleged attempt to bribe former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas to take over as finance minister and do the Gupta family’s bidding, means that Gupta can return to SA without fear of arrest.

But his lawyers have declined to comment on whether he will do so, in order to testify at the Zondo inquiry into state capture. Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo has repeatedly refused the Gupta family the right to cross-examine any witnesses on the basis that they refused to return to SA to do so.

The NPA last month withdrew corruption charges against former president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane in connection with the same case, on the basis that “Mr Jonas’s evidence before the state capture commission led by Deputy Chief Justice Zondo has not been finalised”.

NPA deputy director Bulelwa Vimbani-Shuma stated that “it is in the interest of justice not to proceed with the case at this stage”.

As a result of the withdrawal of charges against Zuma junior, the Guptas’ lawyers demanded answers from the state on whether there was still an active warrant of arrest for Ajay Gupta. Vimbani-Shuma responded in a letter sent on February 11 that “the warrant of arrest issued at the same time that an arrest warrant was issued against Mr Duduzane Zuma has been cancelled by (the Hawks).”