A JERSEY accountant arrested in connection with an alleged multi-million tax fraud in Australia will have to say whether he intends to fight extradition the next time he appears in the Magistrate’s Court.
Philip Eric de Figueiredo (56) faces extradition proceedings launched by the Australian Crime Commission. Yesterday he was told by Assistant Magistrate Bridget Shaw that when he next appears in mid-February he will have to indicate if he will agree to be extradited.
Meanwhile, the court heard that Mr de Figueiredo, who said nothing during the ten-minute hearing, was arrested after travelling to the Island for a holiday from his house in Switzerland.
The principal legal adviser at the Attorney General’s Office, John Edmonds, said that the Australian authorities successfully applied to the court on 30 December for a provisional arrest warrant. As a result, he said, Mr de Figueiredo was arrested and appeared in court on New Year’s Eve. He said that the Australian authorities had 45 days from the initial date to serve the full extradition request and the period would expire on Friday 13 February.
• Picture: Philip de Figueiredo (centre) on his way into the Magistrate’s Court. Picture: Rob Currie (00610901)
