The Attorney General's Office (PGR) announced that it will appeal the decision of extradition of the former Minister of Economy and Finance, Manuel Chang, to the United States of America (USA), where he is to be tried for the financial scandal that damaged Mozambique by more than two billion dollars.

"The Republic of Mozambique, through the Attorney General's Office, has instructed its counsel in the case to request a stay of the implementation of the decision, to file an appeal," reads the document issued Thursday by the PGR to challenge the decision of the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.

The note also states that the intention is to file a request for direct access to the Constitutional Court, arguing, the OPG, that this South African judicial body, "is in a better position to review the decision.

The OPG emphasizes its discontent with the change in the previous decision, and believes that Manuel Chang should be extradited and tried in Mozambique, because that is where he committed the crimes of which he is accused.

At issue is the decision by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, issued on Wednesday, ordering South Africa to extradite former Finance Minister Manuel Chang, to the US, invalidating the extradition to Mozambique previously announced by the South African government.

This court decision follows an urgent appeal by the non-governmental organization "Forum for Budget Monitoring", which contested the decision of the South African Justice Minister, Ronald Lamola, to extradite Manuel Chang to Mozambique, announced last August.

Mozambique has no extradition agreements with South Africa or with the USA.