A businessman wanted in the United States for drug trafficking remains free on bail, pending an appeal against a decision to extradite him.
Senior Justice Bernard Turner set bail at $75,000 with two sureties for 63-year-old Roscoe Thompson after dismissing a bid to overturn a magistrate’s order approving the extradition request.
As a condition of bail, Thompson has to sign in at the police station in Rock Sound, Eleuthera and wear an electronic monitoring device.
Following the decision, Murrio Ducille, KC, signaled his intention to challenge the decision to the Court of Appeal.
Thompson, who was on bail, was detained until the court received confirmation that appeal papers had been filed.
U.S. authorities formally requested Thompson’s extradition in 2013.
Extradition proceedings were stalled pending the conclusion of two failed recusal requests by Ducille.
He had alleged that then-Magistrate Andrew Forbes was biased because he ordered Thompson committed to prison to await extradition after dismissing a no-case submission on May 13, 2016.
Within 20 minutes of making the order, Forbes reversed his decision and adjourned the matter for Thompson to present his case.
Despite this, Ducille sought to have the extradition hearing transferred to another magistrate for hearing on the grounds of alleged bias.
Turner dismissed the the recusal request and this prompted an appeal. However, the Court of Appeal found that Ducille’s arguments for recusal had no merit.
