US dismissal 'will not help' extradition efforts

The police case against Chileans Hernán Sepúlveda Mery and Christian Rodrigo Delgado Ramírez, wanted in Malta for the attempted murder of Paceville club bouncer Joseph Spiteri, remains pending before the Magistrates' Court, senior council to the Republic Donatella Frendo Dimech said yesterday.

An international extradition request by Malta in the case of Lt Sepúlveda Mery was dismissed in the United States after federal prosecutors in the US Attorney's office in Miami were convinced they lacked enough evidence to warrant his extradition.

Dr Frendo Dimech said the US court decision stated: "Pursuant to Rule 48(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure... the United States attorney for the southern district of Florida hereby dismisses without prejudice the complaint for provisional arrest with a view towards extradition against the above named defendant".

Dr Frendo Dimech said that although, theoretically, this will not prejudice another request for Lt Sepúlveda Mery's extradition, it will certainly not help efforts by Malta to secure his extradition from another jurisdiction.

Asked whether the extradition request for Christian Rodrigo Delgado Ramírez was still on, she said the result of the extradition request concerning Lt Sepúlveda Mery has no bearing on any other request for extradition that might be filed.