Extradition matter

THE State has been told to withdraw an application to extradite Joshua Rahman, the New Zealander sentenced to 23 years imprisonment for being in possession of 39.5 kilograms of cocaine, if it was not willing to go through with it.

Rahman’s lawyer, Devanesh Sharma, said this when the extradition matter, filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the request of the New Zealand Government, was called before High Court judge Justice Thushara Kumarage.

Rahman is appealing his conviction and sentence, and the State is appealing his sentence, which will be called for hearing for leave to appeal in the Court of Appeal on August 9.

State prosecutor Jayneeta Prasad said the State wanted Rahman’s appeal rights in Fiji to be exhausted before he was extradited to NZ.

And that if he was to serve a sentence in NZ, he should serve it and return to serve the remainder of his sentence in Fiji.

Mr Sharma said as Rahman had consented to being extradited, the court needed to make the order for extradition. The matter will be called again on July 7.