Maltese man suspected of drug trafficking in Italy gets bail, again

A Maltese man battling extradition to Italy over drug trafficking suspicions has once again been granted bail, pending final judgment.

John Spiteri, 56 and from Qrendi, was first arrested locally in June on the strength of a European Arrest Warrant issued by a court in Catania. He is wanted to face charges of having imported drugs into Italy from Albania, to traffick in Italy and Malta. 

A magistrate’s court had however turned down Italy’s extradition request, on the basis that important paperwork concerning the extradition had not been filed by the prosecution. 

But that decision was quashed on appeal and a magistrate then green-lit Spiteri’s extradition on August 24, noting that documentation now included a “very detailed and clear explanation of facts”. 

Spiteri was immediately detained by the police, pending his extradition to Italy, as the law requires.

However, his lawyers immediately appealed that decision, arguing that their client would face inhuman and degrading treatment if he ended up in an Italian prison. 

They cited extensively from documents of the Council of Europe which appeared to deplore the state of Italian prisons.

Spiteri’s lawyers also referred to European...