Woman's extradition delayed for medical reasons

A magistrate yesterday ruled that a Turkish woman serving time in jail be extradited to Germany, where she is wanted on fraud charges, but ordered that her extradition is postponed in view of her medical condition.

Madeh Bejaoui is wanted by the German authorities for allegedly renting cars in Germany and then selling them in other European countries.

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna, presiding over the extradition proceedings, heard how, at the age of 15, Ms Bejaoui had a prosthesis inserted into her right arm and at present was not functioning well. The court noted that although the woman's injuries are not life threatening, they are still deemed as serious, especially because she would need surgery before being extradited.

Magistrate Apap Bologna urged the director of the Corradino Correctional Facility to ensure that Ms Bejaoui is given all the treatment she requires before she is extradited to Germany.

Police Inspectors Ian Abdilla and Maria Stella Attard prosecuted.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio and Stephen Tonna Lowell were defence counsel.