New Zealand formally filed an extradition request in recent weeks for Malaysia to return Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail so that he could appear in court in New Zealand. He left the country exactly five months ago, today.
Rizalman was arrested on May 10, and charged by Wellington police with burglary and assault with intent to rape relating to an alleged attack on Tania Billingsley, 22, in the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn.
However, he was able to leave New Zealand on May 22 after Malaysia refused to waive his right to invoke diplomatic immunity.
Rizalman was employed by the High Commission of Malaysia, also based in Brooklyn.
Official sources confirmed in recent days that Rizalman was due to return this week.
It has since emerged Rizalman is scheduled to arrive in the country this Saturday morning.
It is understood he will fly back from Malaysia overnight on Friday, escorted by New Zealand police officers. On landing in the capital he will immediately be taken to Wellington District Court to face the charges, it is understood.
An inquiry continues into Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade representatives’ handling of the case after they gave the impression that New Zealand officials gave their blessing for Rizalman to leave.
Malaysia later announced it would begin the process to return him to face the charges.Billingsley waived her right to name suppression and publicly criticised Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully’s handling of the case, demanding an apology.
While there is no formal extradition treaty between New Zealand and Malaysia both countries agreed to commit to the process and had been sharing documents to hasten the legal process previously described as “complex” by Mfat.
Despite repeated requests for information from media, there has not yet been any official advice from either side on Rizalman’s return date.
Foreign Minister of New Zealand Murray McCully said he had been advised a Malaysian court had ordered Rizalman’s extradition.
The matter was now “entirely in the hands of the judicial systems of both countries”, McCully said.
He was “not in a position” where he could confirm Rizalman would return to New Zealand this weekend, and referred the matter to the judicial authorities involved.
“There’s been a lot of publicity about it, and the legal people are very concerned to ensure that we observe proper process so I’ve left it entirely to them.”
McCully had “heard a report along those lines” that New Zealand police had gone to Malaysia to accompany Rizalman back, but said that would need to be confirmed by the police.
“There’s been a lot of speculation in the media, what is clear now is that there will be a trial in New Zealand.
“The legal people have gone to a lot of trouble to try and ensure that is going to be a fair trial and that there is no question of flawed process that is going to imperil it and I’m showing, as I hope others will, respect for that process.”
In the case of any extradition, there would be a lot of liaison between the police and the prosecutorial authorities on both sides to ensure there was a seamless process, McCully said.
-diplomat.so
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