Wanted Italian businessman must serve almost nine years jail

Documentation sent to Malta's Attorney General from the Italian justice ministry shows that Angelo Fregapane, 48 of Agrigento must serve eight years, 11 months and 20 days in prison in Italy.

The documentation was presented as evidence before Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna this morning, during the first hearing in which Fregapane is contesting his extradition request.

Fregapane was arrested last week from his Qawra apartment by officers from Police Intelligence Unit, who acted on an international arrest warrant.

On arraignment, Fregapane refused to be extradited and has since been held at Corradino Prisons.

Appearing defiant, Fregapane interrupted the proceedings three times, alleging that he was not granted permission to contact his lawyer.

Deputy Attorney General Donatella Frendo Dimech contested Fregapane's statement, and challenged him to admit that he in fact made many phone calls to his family in Sicily while being held at Corradino.

Fregapane has been wanted by Magistrates in Agrigento, Sicily to serve four jail terms for multi-million euro fraud to the detriment of a number of creditors and shareholders in various companies.

As a director of CESPEDA, and of Informatica Service Spa, between 1991 and 1999, Fregapane allegedly embezzled more than €1 million through his chairmanships in various other companies.

Fregapane was a high profile businessman in Sicly until he was arrested in 2010 and disappeared after spending three months under house arrest.

News of his arrest in Malta has hit the headlines in Italy this morning.

All the judgments were made effective and definite after plea bargaining, which were reduced to eight years, 11 months and 20 days from a total of 13 years.