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Cape Verde Refuses To Release Venezuelan Diplomat, Saab As Switzerland Drops Probe

Saab was arrested and detained by the Cape Verdean police in June 2020 at the request of the United States government during a stopover on his way to Iran over allegations of money laundering.

The Cape Verdean government has continued to hold Venezuelan diplomat, Alex Saab, in detention despite orders for his release by two international courts. 

 

Saab was arrested and detained by the Cape Verdean police in June 2020 at the request of the United States government during a stopover on his way to Iran over allegations of money laundering.

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The Venezuelan government had, however, faulted the move, explaining that Saab was on a humanitarian mission as a special envoy when he was arrested.

 

On March 15, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court ruled that the arrest and continued detention of the Venezuelan diplomat were illegal. 

 

The court also ordered that all extradition process against Saab by the Cape Verde government should be stopped immediately. 

 

The court said there was no Red Alert (used as a basis for the detention) at the time of the arrest.

 

However, Cape Verde authorities have refused to obey the order. A ruling by the Cape Verdean Supreme court on Tuesday, March 16 ordered that Saab be extradited to the United States. 

 

In its ruling, the Cape Verdean Supreme Court explained that it refused to comply with the decisions of the ECOWAS court because "it considers itself as not legally bound to the said protocol." 

 

The development comes as Switzerland withdrew a three-year-long money laundering probe against Saab over lack of evidence.

 

On Thursday, Geneva's prosecutor announced that it has shut a probe into Alex Saab's suspected money laundering case via Swiss offshore accounts

 

According to the government Office tasked with evaluating suspicious funds, the investigation was sparked by several banks lodging reports with MROS.

 

Prosecutors said the now-shuttered Genevan investigation focused on a single-vehicle tied to Saab noting that the evidence from this was insufficient to bring formal charges against him.

 

Many believed that the withdrawal of the money laundering probe against Saab strengthened the position of the ECOWAS Court that there was no red notice in place during the time of his arrest.