Fed: Fugitive businessman may be back within weeks Vanstone

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2000
Fed: Fugitive businessman may be back within weeks Vanstone

A fugitive Australian businessman could be back in the country soon to face embezzlement
charges after a Polish court agreed to extradite him.

A regional court in the northern Polish city of Gdansk has approved overnight the extradition
of TONY OATES, a business colleague of disgraced entrepreneur ALAN BOND.

OATES' lawyers intend to appeal the verdict and a final decision will be made by Poland's
justice minister.

Justice Minister AMANDA VANSTONE says she's pleased that there's been some progress on the case.

She says the result vindicates the government's persistence.

OATES, aged 58, worked in Poland as a consultant for two big Polish breweries.

He was arrested in Gdansk on October 23, 1996 at the request of Australia's director
of public prosecutions.

He was allowed out on bail after seven months in detention.

Australian prosecutors believe OATES is implicated in the ALAN BOND financial scandal.

BOND was released from prison in March after serving nearly three years for stripping
more than $A2 billion from Bell Resources.

AAP RTV/AFP mb/mfh/et/jn

KEYWORD: POLAND OATES VANSTONE (CANBERRA)

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