Cape Verde justice authorized the extradition of Alex Saab to the United States

Cape Verde Supreme Court of Justice authorized extradition of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, figurehead of the dictator of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, In the USA, which of course claims money laundering.

According to the verdict to which the press agency had access EFE, Supreme Court dismissed Saab’s defense appeal and upheld lower court decision to approve businessman’s surrender, detained in the African country since June 12 at the request of the United States.

“The judges of the Supreme Court agree to dismiss the appeal and confirm, for all legal purposes, the contested decision“That is, the decision in favor of extradition handed down last year by the Barlavento Court of Appeal, based on the northern island of San Vicente, according to the decision.

The High Court says “confirm the judicial authorization to extradite the applicant (Saab) to the United States“.

The deliberation of the Supreme Court also considered that Cape Verde is not bound by the decisions of the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who spoke out last Monday against the leader’s extradition and ordered his immediate release.

Therefore, according to the High Court of Cape Verde, the judgment of the ECOWAS tribunal will not be accepted by the judicial authorities of this West African island country.

The 49-year-old Colombian was arrested on June 12, 2020 when the plane he was traveling on stopped to refuel at Amilcar Cabral International Airport on the Cape Verdean island of Sal, following an American request via Interpol for money laundering.

The businessman, born in Barranquilla and of Lebanese origin, is linked to several companies, including Group Grand Limited (GGL), accused of providing food with additional costs for a Maduro regime’s aid program for the underprivileged, known as CLAP.

A US government official said in July 2019 that with CLAP, Saab and three of Maduro’s stepchildren, they apparently took advantage of “hundreds of millions of dollars“.

The arrest of Saab’s main lawyer in Cape Verde

Last week, Saab’s chief lawyer in Cape Verde arrested when he went to visit his client. Avocado José Manuel Pinto Monteiro was arrested on Wednesday while attempting to “Enter the house“In which Saab lives under house arrest, in order to”keep your daily meeting with him“, According to the legal team in a statement.

Pinto Monteiro, one of Cape Verde’s “most experienced” lawyers, “protested the harshness of the search he was subjected to before he could enter the house“On the island of Sal,” said the note, stressing that “his arrest is unprecedented“.

“We urge the Government of Cape Verde to reconsider its position and to stop interfering with the defense team“From Saab, said the legal team, which denounced the”undemocratic behavior of the Cape Verdean authorities ”.

For its part, the National Police of Cape Verde released a statement with details of the arrest of Pinto Monteiro. “The Sal Regional Command informs civil society that it detained today, March 10, 2021, around three and five minutes, (…) Mr. José Manuel Pinto Monteiro (…) for insult and threaten an officer of authoritySaid the text.

(With information from EFE)

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