A Polish man wanted over the brutal murder of his female Italian language teacher in a Warsaw district, will be extradited in the coming days to face prosecution before a Polish court.
The 30-year-old victim identified only as Katarzyna J, was found decapitated on February 3, when firefighters were called to extinguish a fire at an apartment in Zoliborz. Her charred, dismembered body was found in a backpack.
Two days after the grisly discovery the Polish authorities had issued a European Arrest Warrant against prime suspect Kajetan Poznanski, who had managed to flee from his country.
The 27-year-old librarian was arrested two days ago in Malta, when plain clothes policemen surprised him at the City Gate bus terminus in Valletta. It later transpired that the man had escaped to Germany, from where he proceeded to Italy, finally making his way to Malta by ferry. Reports said that the man’s mobile phone signal had been instrumental in tracking his whereabouts.
Back home, the case has caused a sensation and a strong contingent from the Polish media descended on Malta to follow proceedings, as soon as the news of his capture was broken on Wednesday afternoon.
Escorted by a dozen police officers, the man was yesterday arraigned before Magistrate Francesco Depasquale. At the start of the hearing he told the court he needed no interpreter as he was fluent in both English and Latin.
The accused, who stood motionless and poker-faced throughout yesterday’s proceedings, made no attempt to challenge his arrest warrant.
His final destination was not Malta but most probably a North African country. He had attempted to seek new travel documents
“I do consent,” he timidly replied when asked by the Magistrate if he still intended to accede to his extradition order.
Following yesterday’s hearing, Polish authorities have 10 days in which to deport him. Meanwhile the man will be remanded in custody in a Maltese jail.
Sources close to the investigation told this newspaper that his final destination was not Malta but most probably a North African country. This hypothesis was strengthened by the fact that during his short stay on the island, during which he resided at a Valletta guesthouse, the accused had attempted to seek new travel documents.
During yesterday’s proceedings the Pole was also sentenced to three months imprisonment suspended for two years, after admitting to filing a false declaration with the Maltese authorities.
Reports in the international media underlined the fact that the accused had no previous criminal record while acquaintances described him as an introvert and intelligent person
His case also stirred sensation after it transpired that he was fond of the Hannibal Lecter character, the cannibal killer in the film Silence of the Lambs. The man had reportedly penned a Latin poem about love and murder titled Feast of Hannibal Lecter.