Judgment reserved in Nigerians' extradition battle

Judgment has been reserved in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) in the case of eight Nigerian nationals arrested during a police operation in Sunnyside last year following claims that they were part of an international fraud syndicate. They are fighting against extradition to the US, notes a Pretoria News report. The eight turned to the court for an urgent order interdicting South Africa's Justice Minister, Michael Masutha, and the prosecuting authorities from extraditing them. Two alleged syndicate members have already been extradited. The court earlier issued an interim order, preventing the extradition of the rest of the group, pending the finalisation of all the issues surrounding their incarceration and pending extradition. The group is facing a possible trial in the US on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to commit offences against the US and charges linked to identity theft and money laundering. Pretoria Magistrate Lesetja Mphahlele said in a statement before court he had ordered the group’s detention in prison, pending the decision of the Justice Minister as to their extradition. Lawyer Thesigan Pillay, however, said the Minister did not have the power to order the extradition of the group. According to him, they are being kept illegally in jail and should be released. Counsel for the government said the accused were Nigerian citizens, who have not explained why they were in South Africa. It was argued that it was South Africa's duty to extradite them to the US.