A South African court has ruled that former Mozambican Finance Minister Manuel Chang should be extradited to the US where he is wanted for alleged criminal offences in relation to a massive corruption scandal.
The court ruling reverses a decision by South Africa’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola in August to transfer Chang to his home country.
High Court Judge Margaret Victor said the court could not find “the decision to be rational”.
Civil society groups had opposed transferring Chang to Mozambique fearing that he would not face prosecution.
The former minister has been in detention in South Africa since 2018 on a US arrest warrant for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering.
The scandal involves more than $2.7bn (£2bn) of undisclosed state debts – money which the government borrowed to set up a sophisticated tuna industry, to buy trawlers and military patrol boats, but much of it was allegedly diverted to corrupt officials.
Chang, 66, denies accepting $7m in bribes. He was arrested at the request of the US, where investors were affected by the scandal.
