Canadian national who is serving for cocaine possession wishes to wait for his appeal processes to take place before he is sent to New Zealand to face similar charges.

This is in the case of Joshua Aziz Rahman in a miscellaneous action filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to extradite Canadian national Joshua Aziz Rahman to New Zealand.

Rahman, with a Fijian heritage, is convicted for being in possession of 39.5 kilograms of cocaine worth $39.5 million.

He has been jailed for 20 years with a non-parole period of 14 years to be served.

The New Zealand authorities had sought for Rahman to be extradited to face certain criminal charges relating to importing prohibited drugs.

In court on Friday, lawyer from the Office of the DPP, Jayneeta Prasad told the court that all submissions were filed in the matter and the High Court previously vacated the hearing on the application to wait for the outcome of the appeal process which was yet to be heard.

Ms Prasad told the court that as per the Extradition Act, Rahman would be repatriated back to Fiji after the outcome of the charges he would face in New Zealand and serve his remaining sentence term.

She said regardless of the outcome in New Zealand, Rahman had to come back to serve and the state’s position was that for him to be sent back.

She further told the court that the New Zealand authorities’ position was that Rahman should be able to exhaust all the appeal processes in Fiji.

Ms Prasad told the court that the appeal matter will be called on June 2 to set a leave hearing date.

Rahman’s lawyer Gul Fatima told the court that Rahman wished to wait for his appeal processes here in Fiji before he was to be sent to New Zealand.

The matter will be called for mention on June 9.

Story by: ashna.kumar@fijisun.com.fj