Magistrate orders man's extradition

A Belgian man, wanted in his home country where he had been sentenced to a 10-year-jail term for his involvement in a hold-up, will be extradited despite his lawyers' claims that sending him home could be "oppressive".

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna ruled he was satisfied there were enough reasons for Serge Geryl to he extradited to Belgium.

He ordered that Mr Geryl be kept in custody to await his extradition and informed him that he would not be extradited before the expiration of seven days during which time he could appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal. If he felt that his human rights had been breached, he could file a constitutional case.

In a previous court sitting Mr Geryl's lawyers José Herrera and Edward Zammit Lewis told Magistrate Apap Bologna that sending Mr Geryl back to Belgium would be oppressive.

"Our client has been at large for three years and, in the circumstances, his extradition would be oppressive as his life was under threat by the gang leader who was jailed when he (Mr Geryl) exposed him to police," the lawyers had said.

After evaluating the facts of the case the magistrate ruled that it resulted that there existed no bar in accordance with the law for Mr Geryl to be extradited.

Police Superintendent Peter Paul Zammit and Senior Counsel to the Republic Donatella Frendo Dimech prosecuted.