The Gupta brothers Atul and Rajesh have been arrested in the United Arab Emirates and likely face extradition to South Africa, where they are facing trial on corruption charges.
The brothers had fled South Africa in 2018 after an inquiry was launched into their role in the capture of the South African state under former president Jacob Zuma.
Zuma had been forced to step down over corruption charges, opening the dates for another member of the African National Congress to take over.
The Guptas had such deep ties to Zuma back then that they wielded enormous influence in the South African government and were even instrumental in appointing some key figures, albeit from the background.
Amid the allegations, the Guptas, who emigrated to South Africa in 1993, insisted that they have done nothing wrong and are, therefore, innocent of the charges against them.
With their arrest in the UAE, they are likely to be handed to the South African authorities soon, President Cyril Ramaphosa having signed an extradition treaty with the Arabian state back in 2021.
All eyes are on the UAE government right now, watching to see if the fugitives will be extradited to South Africa. As one observer noted, an extradition would be a triumph for Mzansi.
