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Tonga seeking arrest warrant for alleged murderer now in AmSamoa

[SN file photo]

Nuku'alofa, TONGA — Tonga's Attorney General’s Office is asking the United States for a provisional arrest warrant of Dean Jay Fletcher, who is accused of murdering his wife in Neiafu, Vava'u. Fletcher fled police custody on September 29 and sailed to American Samoa in his yacht Sea Oak.

The application was made on behalf of the Government of Tonga to be issued by the United States Federal Court, pending a formal application for extradition to be sent through diplomatic channels.

Tonga and the United States are a party to an Extradition Treaty, re-affirmed on April 13, 1977. This Treaty applies to American Samoa as a United States territory.

ALLEGED MURDER

The Acting Attorney General and Director of Public Prosections ‘Aminiasi Kefu said today work had been ongoing to extradite the accused from American Samoa to Tonga to be tried for the alleged murder of his wife, Patricia Linne Kearney on July 6, 2016 in Neiafu.

On October 4 his office made contact with counterparts at the United States Department of Justice in Washington D.C, and American Samoa to start an extradition process, to return him to Tonga to be tried for the charges laid against him.

After receiving a response from the United States counterparts on October 5, the application was sent to the United States for his provisional arrest warrant.

This Attorney General's Office is currently preparing the normal information required for a formal extradition request for the accused to be sent through diplomatic channels to the United States Government, once the process and information required is confirmed from the United States authorities, he said.

“Extradition is a legally complicated process that would involve determination of complex legal issues through all legal avenues in foreign courts, and therefore it is likely totake some time to complete.”

Read more at Matangi Tonga