Chinese man to be extradited to Italy

A Chinese man is to be extradited to Italy where he is expected to face charges in connection with human trafficking, a court ruled yesterday.

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna handed down the ruling after hearing how Lin Yi had voluntarily informed the court that he was consenting to his extradition to Italy.

Last month extradition proceedings were initiated against Mr Yi and two Maltese men - Emanuel Borg and Anthony Muscat. All three men were wanted by Italy's Modica Tribunal, from where a European arrest warrant was issued against them for human trafficking.

After Mr Yi consented to being extradited, Magistrate Apap Bologna ordered that he be kept in custody to await his extradition to Italy that was to take place within 10 days from yesterday's ruling. The magistrate also heard how Mr Yi was currently serving a nine-year jail term in Malta after he pleaded guilty to assisting immigrants to leave Malta illegally.

In light of this he ordered that, once sent to Italy to face charges, Mr Yi was to be held in custody until the conclusion of the proceedings against him. He was then to be returned to Malta to serve the remainder of his nine-year jail term.

Finally, in accordance with the law, the magistrate informed Mr Yi that if he felt his human rights had been breached in any way he had a right to redress according to the Constitution.

Police Inspectors Sandro Zarb and Noel Cutajar prosecuted.

Lawyers Michael Sciriha and Franco Galea were defence counsel.