An Italian woman fainted inside a courtroom today and had to be transferred to hospital as a court considered extradition proceedings against her.

The woman, Donatella Concas, 40, is wanted by judicial authorities in her homeland after having fled from Italy to escape a 44-month prison term.

She had been found guilty before the Italian courts of having been party to a racket of organised crime dealing in usury, extortion and illegal possession of weapons.

Although Ms Concas entered Malta lawfully, she was taken into police custody from her residence in Mosta on October 16 after local authorities were alerted to the issuing of a European Arrest Warrant against her.

Lawyer Malcolm Mifsud, who is defending Ms Concas, argued today that his client could not be extradited to Italy since she risked being killed by ruthless criminals against whom she had testified.

Replying to this, the prosecution, made up of lawyers Nadia Attard, Mario Cuschieri and Elaine Mercieca from the Attorney General’s office, said they did not yet have valid proof of the woman's status of pentita (that she had turned state's evidence).

The proceedings had to be suspended when Ms Concas fainted.

The case continues.

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