South African police have withdrawn an arrest warrant for businessman Ajay Gupta after charges were dropped against Dudzane Zuma, former president Jacob Zuma’s son.
“The warrant for Ajay Gupta was provisionally withdrawn,” said Hangwani Mulaudzi, a spokesperson for the Hawks police unit.
Gupta, an associate of Jacob Zuma, was wanted on corruption charges, accused of stealing millions of euros from the South African government. Gupta was allegedly linked to Duduzane because Mcebisi Jonas, former deputy finance minister, said he had been bribed by the two while Jacob Zuma was still in office.
Jonas maintains they offered him 600 million Rand (37 million euros) and promised him the minister of finance portfolio.
The Hawks said the charges against Duduzane were dropped because the Zondo commission, a judicial probe tasked with investigating state capture, the South African name for government corruption, was not yet complete. The Gupta warrant could be reinstated, it added.
Gupta has said in local media that he is not a fugitive. Currently living outside South Africa, he says he will not return to face interrogation by the Zondo commission.
The Hawks police unit said that other Gupta cases would continue to be investigated.
