The Gauteng High Court confirmed on Friday that South Africa would be obligated to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin should he enter South Africa.
The judgment was in response to an application from the Democratic Alliance which sought to compel the government to make the arrest in terms of a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. Putin was invited to attend a summit in South Africa next month, although it has recently been announced that he will not do so in person.
However, the judgment makes it clear that the government is obliged to arrest Putin should he enter the country at any time.
The case also revealed a failure of the government to carry out its responsibilities. The Director General of the Department of Justice, Doctor Mashabane, said that he had been ‘obliged’ to pass the ICC’s warrant on to National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi when it was received on 8 May. However, he delayed doing so until after a meeting with the body. The note to Batohi was eventually sent on 29 June.
The Democratic Alliance was pleased with the outcome, saying that the Justice Department had ultimately responded to the ‘pressure’ the DA had placed on it.
[Image: Kirstine Rosas from Pixabay]