KUALA LUMPUR: The Thai authorities want Xavier Andre Justo to be tried in their court before he can be extradited should there be a request from a foreign country.

Thai English news portal The Nation quoted Thai police spokesman Lt-Gen Prawuth Thavornsiri as saying that the Swiss citizen must be tried in a Thai court on charges of blackmail and serve a jail term, if any.

“The suspect will be tried in a Thai court on charges of blackmail. If the court rules against him, and a foreign country wants him extradited, he has to serve at least two-thirds of the prison term before being hand over,” he was quoted as saying by the portal.

It is learnt that the penalty for blackmail in Thailand, which are the charges Justo currently faces, would entail five years behind bars or a fine of no more than 90 million Baht (RM9.8 million) or both.

Justo’s alleged selling of secret information was conducted outside Thailand, so Thai authorities can neither charge him on the issue nor summon any foreigners for further questioning.

Prawuth said Thai police could provide information to foreign countries through diplomatic channels, meaning the Foreign Ministry and confirmed that the request by the Malaysian embassy in Bangkok to speak to Justo is still being reviewed by the Thai foreign ministry, but he pointed out that Malaysian officials did not specify when they wished to interview Justo.

Justo was arrested last month in Koh Samui over allegations of attempted extortion of 2.5 million Swiss francs (approximately RM9.9 million).

– http://www.nst.com.my