A man who is wanted in the Czech Republic to face charges of VAT fraud of €350,000, recalled two kidnap attempts when he fought extradition proceedings before a Maltese judge on Thursday.

Marek Drga was served with a European Arrest Warrant last November when he was traced in Gozo where he had been living since 2012. He was arrested and arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court which, last month, gave his extradition the green light.

He filed an appeal claiming that the Czech authorities were acting in bad faith and that some six years had elapsed since the alleged offences in his regard.  

Taking the witness stand before Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti, Mr Drga explained how he was hounded by unidentified persons, first in his homeland and later even in Gozo, presumably acting under instructions of the Czech police force.

Mr Drga is wanted to face charges for having bought VAT-free electronic equipment from Slovakia, claiming VAT in the Czech Republic. As owner of Futura Construction until 2010, a company sub-contracted to Czech property entrepreneur Miroslav Zaremba, Mr Drga was believed to have run the company to evade tax.

However, when testifying today, he stressed that he had sold his shares in the company in February 2011, the year relative to the alleged VAT evasion, and denied any knowledge of illegal ventures undertaken by the company.

He also said that he had been approached by unidentified third parties who wanted him to sign documents relating to the company. He had also received threats against his safety and that of his mother when he refused to sign the papers.

Upon hearing that Mr Zaremba was being investigated for fraud, he sensed trouble and decided to flee his homeland, recalling how on the eve of his departure he had foiled a kidnap attempt while on his way home, narrowly escaping to the safety of his mother’s flat.

He travelled from Italy to Gozo in October 2012, upon an invitation by a family friend.

Mr Drga said that one evening in January 2013, he was forced into a car by a group of unidentified persons while walking close to the Victoria bus terminus.

He was driven to the Sannat cliffs where he was told that he was about to die and was forced to sign numerous documents while his alleged kidnappers argued amongst themselves over his fate.

Finally deciding to allow him one last chance, the group drove Mr Drga back to his flat telling him that now they knew everything about his whereabouts.

Asked by the judge whether he had ever left Gozo, the man replied “No. I never want to leave the country.”

A decision on the appeal is expected on January 12.

Lawyer Roberto Montalto was defence counsel.

Lawyer George Camilleri from the office of the AG prosecuted.

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