Statement concerning the extradition to the U.S.A. of Anthony Satariano

The Minister of Justice Dr. Gavin Gulia has decided today to make the required Order for the Return of Anthony Satariano to the United States of America.

The Government of the United States of America requested the return to that country of Anthony Satariano who is accused in the USA of having, in order to obtain money or property by means of false and fraudulent pretences and representations made use of wire communications and of having obtained money or property by false pretences to the prejudice of a financial institution and of having aided and abetted the commission of the same offences.

Proceedings were therefore commenced before the Court of Magistrates to determine whether Satariano's extradition to the United States would be in conformity with Maltese laws. By an order in its judgment of the 16th May, 1997 the Court of Magistrates committed to custody Anthony Satariano to await his return to the USA. Following an appeal filed by Anthony Satariano the Court of Criminal Appeal, by a decision of the 16th June 1997, confirmed the order of the Court of Magistrates.

Following constitutional proceedings instituted by Anthony Satariano, the Constitutional Court, by a final decision of the 28th November 1997, confirmed that the 1931 extradition treaty between the USA and the UK was applicable to Malta but annulled that part of the Court of Criminal Appeal's judgment where it had decided that in extradition proceedings it did not have jurisdiction to decide a plea of prescription and consequently rejected a request for the issue of letters of request in support of the plea. It also annulled the order of the Court committing Anthony Satariano to custody for the purpose of his extradition to the USA in so far as that order had been given without a decision having been given on the plea of prescription. The Constitutional Court, moreover ordered that Anthony Satariano be placed in the same position he was in before the judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeal of the 16th June, 1997. In this way the Court of Criminal Appeal could decide the plea of prescription and rule on the request for letters of request. The Constitutional Court held that the other parts of the judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeal which had already decided other issues were not being annulled.

Following the judgment of the Constitutional Court, the Court of Criminal Appeal reconsidered the plea of prescription and Satariano's request for letters of request and by its judgment of the 16th December, 1997 rejected the plea of prescription and denied Satariano's request for letters of request. The Court re-confirmed the order of the Court of Magistrates of the 16th May, 1997 committing Anthony Satariano to custody to await his return to the USA. The remaining constitutional proceedings which had been instituted by Satariano were withdrawn by him on the 3rd April, 1998.

Following the withdrawal by Satariano of the only remaining constitutional case Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Environment, Dr. George Vella and the Minister of Justice Dr. Gavin Gulia immediately initiated contacts with the competent authorities of the United States of America to ensure that Mr. Satariano's interests are safeguarded. Mr. Satariano agreed to extend the 3rd June deadline laid down in the Extradition Act for his return to the USA.

Following the diplomatic contacts made, the Government of Malta is satisfied of the results and clarifications obtained in regard to the judicial process and the question of punishment by the Government of the United States, and it is not excluded that Satariano serves any eventual sentence in Malta. Anthony Satariano and his legal advisors, Dr. Manuel Mallia and Dr. Giannella Caruana Curran, were kept continuously informed of the developments taking place and, being satisfied that Satariano's interests have been adequately protected, have dropped their objections to the extradition taking its course.

It is expected that the Minister's Order for return will be executed in the coming days.

The Government of Malta will continue monitoring developments and, as has already been done to date, will continue in its efforts to ensure that Satariono's rights be safeguarded at all times.

Stqarrija dwar l-estradizzjoni lejn l-Istati Uniti tal-Amerika ta' Anthony Satariano

Il-Ministru tal-Íustizzja Dr. Gavin Gulia llum iddeðieda li jagómel l-ordni meótieí góat-treííiegó lura ta' Anthony Satariano lejn l-Istati Uniti ta' l-Amerika.

Il-Gvern ta' l-Istati Uniti ta' l-Amerika talab it-treííiegó lura lejn dak il-pajjiú ta' Anthony Satariano li huwa akkuúat fil-USA talli, sabiex jagómel frodi b'góemil qarrieqi, góamel uúu minn mezzi ta' komunikazzjoni permezz ta' fili u talli góamel frodi b'góemil qarrieqi bi ósara ta' istituzzjoni finanzjarja u talli góen u assista fl-góemil tar-reati msemmija.

Góalhekk inbdew proðedimenti fil-Qorti tal-Maíistrati sabiex jiíi deðiú jekk l-estradizzjoni ta' Satariano lejn l-Istati Uniti kienetx tkun konformi mal-liíijiet ta' Malta. B'ordni fis-sentenza tagóha tas-16 ta' Mejju, 1997 il-Qorti tal-Maíistrati poííiet taót kustodja lil Anthony Satariano góall-fini tat-traííiegó lura tiegóu lejn il-USA. Wara li Anthony Satariano appella l-Qorti ta' l-Appell Kriminali, b'deðiújoni tas-16 ta' Íunju, 1997, kkonfermat l-ordni tal-Qorti tal-Maíistrati.

Wara li Anthony Satariano beda proðedimenti kostituzzjonali, il-Qorti Kostituzzjonali, b' deðiújoni finali tat-28 ta' Novembru 1997, ikkonfermat li t-trattat tal-1931 bejn l-USA u r-Renju Unit kien applikabbli góal Malta iúda annullat dik il-parti tas-sentenza tal-Qorti ta' l-Appell Kriminali li biha kienet iddeðidiet li fil-proðedimenti ta' estradizzjoni ma kellhiex íurisdizzjoni tiddeðiedi l-eððezzjoni ta' preskrizzjoni u góalhekk ðaódet talba góall-óruí ta' ittri rogatorji b'sostenn ta' dik l-eððezzjoni. Il-Qorti Kostituzzjonali annullat ukoll l-ordni tal-Qorti ta' l-Appell Kriminali li bih Anthony Satariano tpoíía taót kustodja góall-fini tat-treííieó lura tiegóu lejn il-USA sa fejn dak l-ordni kien ingóata mingóajr ma ngóatat deðiújoni dwar l-eððezzjoni ta' preskrizzjoni. Barra minn hekk, il-Qorti Kostituzzjonali ordnat li Anthony Satariano jitqiegóed fl-istess poúizzjoni li kien qabel is-sentenza tal-Qorti ta' l-Appell Kriminali tas-16 ta' Íunju 1997. B'dan il-mod il-Qorti ta' l-Appell Kriminali setgóet tiddeðiedi l-eððezzjoni tal-preskrizzjoni u t-talba góall-óruí ta' ittri rogatorji. Il-Qorti Kostituzzjonali rriteniet li l-partijiet l-oóra tas-sentenza tal-Qorti Kriminali li ddeðidew kwistjonijiet oóra ma kienux qegódin jiíu móassra.

Wara s-sentenza msemmija tal-Qorti Kostituzzjonali, il-Qorti ta' l-Appell Kriminali rrikonsidrat l-eððezzjoni ta' preskrizzjoni u t-talba ta' Satariano góall-óruí ta' ittri rogatorji u b'sentenza tagóha tas-16 ta' Diðembru 1997 ðaódet l-eððezzjoni tal-preskrizzjoni u t-talba tiegóu góall-óruí ta' ittri rogatorji. Il-Qorti kkonfermat mill-ídid l-ordni tal-Qorti tal-Maíistrati tas-16 ta' Mejju 1997 li bió poííiet lil Anthony Satariano taót kustodja sabiex jitreíía' lura lejn il-USA. Il-proðedimenti kostituzzjonali rimanenti li kienu nbdew minn Satariano íew ðeduti minnu fit-3 ta' April 1998.

Wara li Satariano ðeda l-kaú kostituzzjonali li kien góad baqa', id-Deputat Prim Ministru u Ministru góall-Affarijiet Barranin u l-Ambjent, Dr. George Vella flimkien mal-Ministru tal-Íustizzja Dr. Gavin Gulia minnufió bdew kuntatti ma' l-awtoritajiet kompetenti ta' l-Istati Uniti ta' l-Amerika sabiex jassiguraw li l-interessi tas-Sur Satariano jiíu móarsa. Is-Sur Satariano ta l-kunsens tiegóu sabiex jiíi míedded il-limitu ta' úmien stabbilit fl-Att dwar l-Estradizzjoni góat-treííiegó tiegóu lejn il-USA li kien jiskadi fit-3 ta' Íunju.

Wara l-kuntatti diplomatiði li saru, il-Gvern ta' Malta huwa sodisfatt bir-riúultati u l-kjarifiki miksuba rigward l-andament tal-proðess íuridiku u l-kwistjoni tal-piena mill-Gvern Amerikan u mhux eskluúa l-possibilita' li Satariano jiskonta kull eventwali sentenza f' Malta. Anthony Satariano u l-avukati tiegóu Dr. Manwel Mallia u Dr. Gianella Caruana Curran kienu qegódin jiíu kontinwament infurmati bl-iúviluppi kollha rigward il-kaú u peress illi huma sodisfatti li l-interessi ta' Satariano íew adegwatament imóarsa, ma góadhomx joííezzjonaw li l-estradizzjoni tieóu l-kors tagóha.

Hu mistenni li l-Ordni tal-Ministru tal-Íustizzja góat-treííiegó lura tiíi eúegwita fil-jiem li íejjin.

Il-Gvern Malti ser jibqa' jsegwi l-andament tal-kaú b' attenzjoni u bóal ma góamel s' issa, jkompli jassigura li d-drittijiet ta' dan ið-ðittadin Malti jibqgóu jiíu móarsa mill-aójar possibbli.