American fugitive remains in Tonga pending Appeal Court hearing [1]
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Friday, August 22, 2014 - 12:24
After an application against his removal order was declined by the Supreme Court last week, Antone Thomas Pedras (62) was this week granted a stay on the removal until the outcome of his appeal to the Court of Appeal is determined in October this year.
The American man is wanted in California on fraud charges, after being charged with wire fraud in a U.S District Court in September 2013.
On Tuesday 12 August, the Chief Justice Hon Michael Scott declined an application claim from Pedras to stop the Principal Immigration Officer from removing him and seeking to declare the removal order void. The court also revoked his bail and remanded him in custody.
This was after the Prime Minister's Office issued the removal order against him in response to a request from the United States Embassy in Suva on 5 May.
Pedras then filed another application to the Supreme Court on Friday, 15 August asking for a stay or deferrence of his removal order as he had filed an appeal against his removal to the Tonga Court of Appeal.
The Chief Justice granted this application on Tuesday, 19 August. However, for bail Pedras was directed to apply to the Principal Immigration Officer.
Police said this morning that his bail had been granted and they were finalising his release today.
Pedras who married a Tongan subject in 2000 had arrived to Tonga in January and applied for registration as a Tongan subject.
He is the owner of a company Maxum Gold Bank Holdings Ltd.
Sione Sisifa was the counsel for the Respondents (the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Principal Immigration Officer) while Laki Niu represented Pedras.
From the Courts [8]