A chief of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, has explained why he cannot be extradited to the Unites States of America to answer questions on alleged drug trafficking.
Kashamu, who was reacting to a call for his extradition by a group, led by Timi Frank in Abuja on Monday, said there was no request for his extradition from any country.
He said in a statement by his Media Adviser, Austin Oniyokor that he would have ignored Frank, but added that he decided to reply because he wanted to correct the impression given by Frank in his statement.
Oniyokor also said Kashamu was not a wanted person either in the USA or anywhere on the world.
He said, “We are constrained to react because of the attempt to mislead the public. It is misdirected and mischievous.
“Prince Kashamu is not wanted by anyone. If he is, as claimed by this armorphous group, we challenge it to produce a warrant to that effect or bury its head in shame.
“Frank and his ilk should know that the AGF cannot surrender anyone without an extradition request that has to be subjected to a legal process. Up till date, nothing of such exists and it cannot because Prince Kashamu had been tried in the United Kingdom based on the same indictment at the behest of the United State Government.
“He was freed by the British court when it was found that it was a case of mistaken identity. He did not escape from justice as his extradition case is now cited and has become a reference in British Law books, such as Nicholls, Montgomery, and Knowles on.
“The Law of Extradition and Mutual Assistance’ (Third Edition), and David Young, Mark Summer and David Korker on the ‘Abuse of Process in Criminal Proceedings’, among others. These law books gave a full account of the British court proceedings and the decisions of the court on the same purported indictment.
“By its conduct, the so-called anti-graft group has shown its ignorance of the due process of law or it is blinded by other interests which it seeks to serve, and not the noble cause it lays claims to. Otherwise, it should know that someone cannot be tried over the same allegation by the same party (ies).”
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