The South Florida District Court has just rejected Alex Saab’s request to annul the international fugitive warrant.
In addition, he says they will insist that he appear before the authorities and offer to submit to the United States justice system. The decision, first known to EL TIEMPO, also indicates that it is not clear that those who made the request or the claim for annulment are their legal advisers, as they have not provided evidence to prove this.
(We invite you to read: Alert for access to Álex Saab with reserved bank and Dian data)
This is the federal court’s decision against Álex Saab.
Lawyers did not accredited power
They even assure that it is possible that the defense commission was created through a third person, including the Nicolás Maduro regime.
The law firm they are referring to is Baker Hostetler, who filed the special motion. The court asked that office to show the contract with Saab, but they did not.
(You may be interested: Alex Saab’s family has been transferred from Caracas to Moscow)
In addition, the decision says that Saab was not entitled to a motion because it knew it was already under investigation and yet it seemed unaccountable for the federal charges it has, including money laundering operations related to corruption and Mature’s regime.
The Court did not recognize the alleged threat that Nicolás Maduro had given Saab and appointed him plenipotentiary ambassador to Africa.
Ripe behind?
In its defense, the law firm explained the unusual circumstances of this criminal case, referring to the fact that his client has been imprisoned in Cape Verde since June 12, 2020. In addition, it pointed out that there can be no requirement to have a power of attorney.
(Additionally: Cape Verde Issues 5 Warnings About Extradition of Álex Saab) However, the Court notes in its decision that the government wants to ensure that it was dealing with lawyers who truly represented Saab’s interests and not those of a third party, including representatives of the Maduro regime.
No immunity
“It is established that a fugitive has no right to have his case resolved by the court before which he refuses to appear,” the decision said.
And he reminds him that the charge against him was filed in that court on July 25, 2019 and has been taken over by the media. Moreover, OFAc had already imposed a sanction on him. They even mention that at that time a law firm began to represent Nicolás Maduro’s aforementioned figurehead.
(In context: DEA follows two former Álex Saab allies in Barranquilla)
In addition, when questioned after his provisional arrest in Cape Verde, Saab admitted that “he knew there were allegations against him in the US, that there was an international investigation into him, and he also knew that there was an investigation against him. walked. In Colombia. ”, Indicates the Court.
The federal court decision also indicates that they do not recognize Saab as a diplomat and therefore do not recognize his immunity, which is claimed by both the Maduro regime and his defense in Cape Verde.
(On the case: This is Álex Saab’s credit card that entangled 2 Colombians)
And in order to prove the fugitive status of the United States, the Court recalls that Saab and his co-conspirators had important contact with that country: “ This is mainly reflected in the reliance on Saab and his henchmen in the financial system, including the use of a bank to move US dollars from one foreign bank account to another. “
It is expected that an appeal will be lodged against the decision within the deadline. Meanwhile, the Cape Verde court is making progress in defining the extradition of Saab.
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