NPA Confident Dr. Nandipha Magudumana’s Extradition Appeal Will Fail Across All Courts

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is confident that Dr. Nandipha Magudumana’s latest extradition appeal will fail, no matter which court she approaches. Magudumana, who faces multiple charges, including fraud and corruption, had her case reviewed by the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, where she argued that her April 2023 deportation from Tanzania was an unlawful disguised extradition.

The Grounds of Magudumana’s Appeal

Magudumana’s extradition case dates back to her arrest in Tanzania alongside Thabo Bester. The pair had fled there after Bester’s dramatic prison break from Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022, where he faked his own death. Magudumana claims her return to South Africa was irregular, arguing it was a covert extradition process, not a lawful deportation.

In response to her claims, a bench of five judges questioned her lack of evidence. They noted there was no proof that South African police were involved in her arrest in Tanzania, a key point Magudumana’s lawyer, Advocate Anton Katz SC, needed to establish to challenge the legality of her deportation.

NPA’s Position on the Extradition Appeal

Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga from the NPA is confident in the authority’s case, noting that the deportation process was handled lawfully. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Mhaga stressed that the NPA’s evidence showed a transparent deportation, with Magudumana’s arrest taking place upon her arrival at Lanseria Airport in South Africa. According to Mhaga, the defense has not convincingly shown any involvement by South African police in her Tanzanian arrest, weakening her claim of an illegal extradition.

Mhaga is hopeful the Supreme Court will dismiss the appeal before the end of 2024. He added that even if Magudumana were to approach the Constitutional Court, he remains confident the appeal would not succeed.

Pending Trial and Charges

Magudumana and Bester face a range of serious charges, including fraud, corruption, violation of a body, and obstructing justice. They are joined by seven co-accused, including Magudumana’s father, Zolile Sekeleni, as well as Senohe Matsoara, Teboho Liphoko, Buti Masukela, Tieho Makhotsa, Zanda Moyo, and Joel Makhetha. The trial is set for February 10, 2025.