Court turns down extradition request against Chang-Rajii

Millionaire tech-investor Alberto Chang-Rajii won a legal battle against his extradition to Chile this morning due to a lack of evidence against him.

Chang-Rajii was arrested in Sliema last December following an extradition request by the Chilean authorities, who want him to face trial for a host of charges, which include money laundering and running a Ponzi scheme in the South American nation. Chang-Rajii has claimed the charges to be part of a campaign by the Chilean prosecutors against wealthy Chilean citizens.

In March, lawyer Vincienne Vella, of the Attorney General’s office, had closed the prosecution’s submissions, arguing that the evidence only had to satisfy the court of committal that the information received about the person wanted for extradition gave rise to a prima facie case.

However, after months in a legal saga over his extradition, a court of committal presided by magistrate Aaron Bugeja this morning turned down Chilean authorities' extradition request, finding that the prosecution failed to produce sufficient evidence.

In a lengthy judgment today, the court declared the evidence produced by the prosecution as inadmissible, allowing Chang-Rajii to walk free.

Lawyers Stefano Filletti and Stephen Tonna Lowell were counsel to Chang-Rajii.