Man wanted by German authorities over armed robbery, trafficking and swindling is arrested

A German national residing in Malta has been arrested following a European Arrest Warrant issued by his home country.  

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech on Wednesday heard how the European arrest warrant accused German national, Michel Thomas, with drug trafficking, selling stolen cars, armed robbery and swindling.

A police inspector told the court how the accused was arrested at his girlfriend’s residence and that his rights were read to him, which were also written down in the letter of rights handed to him by the same inspector.

He also stated how he served the copy of the European Arrest Warrant to the accused both in English and in German.

The magistrate confirmed that the person present before the court was indeed the person named in the European arrest warrant.

The defence made no objection to the validity of the arrest.

The court informed the accused that he was requested to return to Germany for purposes of prosecution for a plethora of offences.

The accused was not willing to return and contested his extradition to Germany.

The magistrate said that the offences for which Thomas was being requested for are part of the Scheduled List of Offences, which meant that the accused could not even try to plead the fact that certain offences could not be prosecuted in Malta.

Upon the defence requesting bail, the prosecution objected and emphasised the gravity of the offences. The magistrate herself objected to this.

“The court has no authority to overturn a warrant issued by another court”, she said.

The prosecution also explained to the court that Thomas has a separate ongoing case in Malta involving wilful damage and disturbing public peace.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech denied the bail request. The case was adjourned to 17 March before Magistrate Leonard Caruana.

Defence lawyers Herman Mula and Silvan Pulis represented the accused.