Foreign Affairs Signs Off on Andrew Bennett Extradition Request but Will He Go?

Andrew Bennett

The ball is in motion for a provisional warrant to be sought for attorney Andrew Bennett’s arrest.  That is because Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington has signed documents that will allow the office of the Attorney General to proceed with a request for Bennett’s detention.  It is expected that he will be arrested and taken into custody pending the outcome of an extradition hearing once the Chief Magistrate establishes that there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a case against Bennett.  Bennett is wanted in the United States for his purported role in a money laundering scheme during which he accepted two hundred and fifty thousand U.S. dollars from an undercover DEA agent.  During the transaction, the go-between reportedly told Bennett that he was representing a drug trafficking organization.  Despite that information, it is said that Bennett accepted the dirty money and laundered it, before taking a percentage of the cash for himself as a commission. The cash was delivered to Bennett in a bag at a well-known restaurant.

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I did sign the documents requesting the formal procedure to be commenced for the extradition.  There’s not much more to say.  I signed it on Tuesday after the cabinet meeting.”

Isani Cayetano

“Are you satisfied with what is being presented in terms of the case that the United States is putting together for the extradition of Mr. Bennett?”

Wilfred Elrington

“Actually, that is really a matter for the magistrate when it goes there.  This is really a formal request made and there is not much I could do about that.  I’m like a post office in that regard, but the question as to the propriety of the request and the like would have to be dealt with at the magistracy.”

Reporter

“But sir…”

Wilfred Elrington

“I did not really put any weight concentrated into that issue.  It is really, as far as I am concerned, it is really a formality for Foreign Affairs.  We are required to sign the documents, I have signed the documents and that’s about it.”

Reporter

“Are you satisfied though that this is a proper and full request and not a frivolous matter?”

Wilfred Elrington

“As I am saying to you, that’s a matter for the magistrate to be dealing with, I imagine, when it appears before them.”

He is wanted after being indicted by a grand jury in Puerto Rico in 2015.