(CNN Espasol) –– West African Community Court (Cediao) on Monday ordered that Colombian businessman Alex Chap be detained in Cape Verde. The process of handing over to the United States His security team said his arrest was “illegal”. CNN could not independently confirm the decision with the legal system. Cape Verdean officials’ decision on whether to comply with the move is still pending. In this regard, Balthasar Carson, the businessman’s international security coordinator, demanded in a statement that the African nation “comply with every point of this sentence without delay.”
Saab has been detained since June 18, 2020. American justice considers him a fugitive and accuses him of being one of the Venezuelan government’s main money launderers. President Nicolas Maduro has also been accused of being a leading figure.
The case of Alex Chopin
In the past, the Maduro government has claimed that Saab holds a Venezuelan diplomatic passport. Also, at the time of his arrest, he was on a special humanitarian mission in Iran under the status of “Venezuela’s Special Envoy”. So, according to his defense, Chab is diplomatically immune. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has backed up this argument. Sabin’s defense told CNN that he was Maduro’s representative and that there was nothing wrong with it. For his part, Maduro did not address the issue directly. However, they acknowledge that he is making arrangements for the government through Foreign Ministry communications.
According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Alex Chop may have benefited from a number of “high-priced deals.” Among them are programs of the government program for food subsidies in Venezuela. The company also claims that Chab may have been involved in illegal activities with the country’s gold.
His defense insists that his client is innocent and that he has not committed any crime in any country. Cediao Court is the main legal body in 15 countries. Its purpose is to resolve conflicts related to the interpretation of agreements, ethics and traditions.