Extradition of AKA murder suspects approved
It has been confirmed that Minister Ronald Lamola has approved the extradition of two AKA murder suspects from eSwatini.
The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services confirmed on Tuesday that Minister Ronald Lamola has approved and transmitted a request by South Africa to extradite AKA murder suspects Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande from Eswatini to South Africa to stand trial.
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES CONFIRMS EXTRADITION OF AKA MURDER SUSPECTS IN ESWATINI
The extradition of the two murder suspects will be moving forward following Minister Ronald Lamola’s approval. The two murder suspects who are also brothers will be going on trial with the other five co-accused who are currently detained in Durban for the murder of AKA and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.
Siyabonga and Malusi were arrested in February by the Royal Eswatini Police Service in their leased apartment in Mbabane, Times OF Eswatini reported.
The suspects are facing a number of charges including conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.
“The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services confirms that Minister Ronald Lamola has approved and transmitted a request by South Africa for the extradition of Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande from the Kingdom of Eswatini (Eswatini) to the Republic of South Africa,” a statement released by the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services read.
“The request is made in terms of the Extradition Treaty between South Africa and Eswatini dated 4 October 1968, and in terms of the SADC Protocol on Extradition dated 3 October 2002, to which both countries are signatories. The Ministry stands ready to give its highest level of co-operation to its counterparts in the Kingdom of Eswatini,” Kaya FM reported.
MORE ABOUT THE EXTRADITION
According to TshisaLIVE, the ministry said the request was made in terms of the Extradition Treaty between the Republic of South Africa and Eswatini as well as the “Sadc protocol on extradition, to which both countries are signatories”.
In a recent sit-down on Newzroom Afrika, Lamola shed some light on the extradition and said: “From our perspective as a central authority dealing with the extradition matter, the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] has presented what they believe is a case that the two accused have to answer in our country. “
“On that basis, we believe it complies with the extradition treaty that we have with Swaziland and the SA Sadc protocol,” Lamola added.