Singapore hails German move to extradite Leeson<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (Reuter): The head of a crime-busting agency
\npressing for Nick Leeson extradition to Singapore said yesterday
\nit was pleased with a German court ruling in favor of the British
\ntrader's return to the island state.<\/p>\n
Leeson, a 28-year-old Briton, has been held at a suburban
\nFrankfurt jail since early March, when he was arrested at
\nFrankfurt airport following a six-day international manhunt.<\/p>\n
Commercial Affairs Department Director Lawrence Ang said in a
\nstatement that the CAD was pleased the court \"is satisfied that
\nthe Singapore government has made out its case against Leeson for
\nextradition\" after examining evidence submitted by the CAD.<\/p>\n
A German court yesterday ordered that he be extradited to
\nSingapore to face trial. His lawyers said Leeson would appeal
\nagainst return to the city-state, where his daring trading once
\nmade him a financial whiz-kid.<\/p>\n
But his trades have also been blamed for bringing down Barings
\ninvestment bank under a mountain of losses.<\/p>\n
The appeal and the legal requirement for the federal
\ngovernment in Bonn to approve any extradition could delay for
\nmonths a return by Leeson to Singapore, which wants to put him on
\ntrial for forgery and fraud charges.<\/p>\n
If and when Leeson is finally returned, he can expect a quick
\ninitial appearance in court, but it could be longer before a
\nfull-scale trial begins.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Ramanthan Palakrishnan told Reuters that it might be as
\nlong as two to three months, depending on how Leeson intended to
\nplea and whether his lawyers asked for time to take full
\ninstructions and study the case.<\/p>\n
\"Eight weeks is the normal scenario in Singapore,\" and there
\ncould be additional postponements, Palakrishnan said.<\/p>\n
Another attorney, Rajan Menon, said that there were too many
\nvariables in the case to speculate, but that he was \"confident
\nthat the due process of law will take its course.\"<\/p>\n
Other legal sources said earlier that Leeson's agents had
\nalready been seeking to line up a team of lawyers in Singapore to
\nfight his case if he is extradited.<\/p>\n
\"He (Leeson) has approached several lawyers but nothing is
\nconfirmed yet,\" said one source. Another said Leeson's
\nrepresentatives had not spoken to his firm but confirmed that
\nothers had been \"in discussions\".<\/p>\n
In Singapore, Leeson would face legal procedures based largely
\non an English model, but where cases are heard only by judges,
\nnot juries.<\/p>\n
Trials are generally open to the public and media, but
\ntelevision and still cameras are not permitted.<\/p>\n
Estimates of Leeson's likely sentence if convicted vary, but
\nSingapore legal experts have dismissed a claim Leeson once made
\nthat he faces a minimum of 14 years in jail if convicted.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/singapore-hails-german-move-to-extradite-leeson-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}