29 July 2009

The Inkatha Freedom Party has submitted questions for written reply to the Minister of Justice Jeff Radebe today, focusing on efforts by the Sicilian government to extradite the alleged mob boss Vito Roberto Palazzolo. 

Dr Oriani-Ambrosini is asking the Minister of Justice to clarify: 

(1) Whether the Minister will provide information on (a) the number of times, (b) the specific dates and (c) on what grounds the Italian government or any of its instrumentalities or agencies have submitted, renewed or solicited a request for the extradition of Vito Roberto Palazzolo alias Robert von Palace Kolbatschenko or similar alias; if so, what are the relevant details; if not, why not? 

(2) what reasons have been given or adduced on each occasion not to extradite the said Palazzolo or proceed with or otherwise attend to any of the aforesaid requests? 

(3) And whether the Italian Government and/or its Ambassador(s) were invited or solicited to denounce the bilateral treaty between Italy and South Africa covering extradition matters in the promise or suggestion or hint that once such treaty was no longer in force the South African government could or would deport said Palazzolo in terms of section 3(2) of the Extradition Act 67 of 1962; if so, why was not the said Palazzolo so deported; if not, what are the true relevant facts? 

Dr Oriani-Ambrosini has also asked the Minister to clarify the following: 

(1) Whether the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has adopted a policy on non prosecuting crimes when a victim of a crime has a civil action available; if so, what are the relevant details; and 

(2) How many times in the past five years has the NPA (a) not prosecuted a crime or (b) dropped a criminal charge on account of the victim having a civil action available to him/her/it in relation to the conduct which embodied the crime?