Judge to rule on extradition of Mark Seawell

Belizean Mark Seawell, who is wanted by U.S. law enforcement agencies since 2007, will get to know his fate next week Friday. That’s when Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie will rule on whether Seawell’s attorney, Elson Kaseke has won the arguments on the preliminary points presented in court. Those centered mainly on an Extradition Treaty with the U.S., over which Kaseke argued that the Minister of Foreign Affairs did not have any power to issue an order for Seawell’s arrest for the extradition hearing to take place. Seawell has been in prison since February of 2007 after the U.S. requested the Belize government to extradite him. Seawell is wanted by the U.S. Justice Department for twenty-seven drug related charges. Priscilla Banner of the Solicitor General’s office is representing the prosecution in the matter. As has been the case in previous times when Seawell has been to court, armed police guards were stationed outside of the courtroom when he appeared in court today.