Court orders extradition of mother facing child abduction accusations

The Maltese courts have ordered the extradition of a Hungarian woman, accused of having kidnapped her daughter.

The mother was arrested in Malta last Friday, on kidnapping charges. In a decree issued on Wednesday morning, Magistrate Aaron Bugeja noted that the woman had consented to her extradition and surrender to the Cypriot authorities, who are accusing her of kidnapping and disobedience of lawful orders.

The court was told that the woman, Szilvia Nadoban, has been on the run since last year after allegedly abducting her eight-year-old daughter. The woman is in the midst of a custody battled. Nadoban's husband had reported the abduction to the authorities.

The 33-year-old Hungarian was arrested on Friday afternoon at her apartment in Sliema, on the strength of a European Arrest Warrant issued by Cyrpus. She was found with the child.

The Police in Malta are reported to have spent a month gathering information, after being alerted by the Cypriot authorities to the woman's probable presence in Malta.

Lawyer Lucio Sciriha defended Nadoban in the proceedings.