An Italian teacher wanted by the Maltese authorities over the smuggling of alcohol from Italy to Malta three years ago has been freed after the Messina Appeals Court rejected their extradition request.
The teacher, Giuseppe Furnari, 45 years old, of Fondachelli Fantina, had been detained at the Gazzi prison in Messina since 16 February.
In its ruling last Wednesday, the Appeals Court, presided by judges Mango, Brigandi and Cucurullo concurred with the defence’s submissions that the European Arrest Warrants entered into force after the man’s arrest in May 2005.
Moreover, defence lawyers Salvatore Stroscio and Tommaso Calderone, said that there were not sufficient legal elements for his extradition to Malta; there was no correspondence between the legal framework in the two countries; and the man had not committed the crimes attributed to him.
Even the prosecution, led by the deputy Messina prosecutor-general Melchiorre Briguglio agreed with the defence’s request.
Funari was stopped by the Maltese authorities on his arrival at the Sea Passenger terminal in Floriana on board a trailer which had departed from Reggio Calabria.
They discovered hundreds of bottles of whisky and vodka hidden in boxes used for packaging liquid detergent without the necessary documentation.

czahra@mediatoday.com.mt