The AN will see this Monday whether to extradite a Colombian hitman to Panama for killing, maiming and burning an American

MADRID, 19 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The National Court will hold this Monday the extradition hearing of a Colombian hitman who is claimed by Panama and who is accused of killing an American woman with a knife, mutilating her and later moving the body inside a suitcase to another place where he burned the remains.

This is reflected in the prosecutor's brief, in favor of extradition, which recalls that the hitman had the help of an accomplice and that a friend of the victim is also in custody for these events.

The hitman was detained by Spanish agents at the Barajas airport in October 2021 under the international arrest warrant, and it was agreed that he remain in provisional detention. However, in December 2021, a release order was issued because Panama did not submit the extraditional documentation on time.

But in January 2022, Panama presented its relevant claim and in May of that year declared that it did not accept being handed over to the claimant State.

The Public Ministry indicates that, according to the Panamanian Criminal Code, the facts constitute a crime of intentional homicide that correspond to a crime of treacherous murder of article 139 of the Spanish Criminal Code.

Likewise, remember that the requirements for surrender are given because in addition to this double criminality --that the crime exists in both countries--, the minimum punitive is met --the penalty that is contemplated is greater than one year-- and there is no prescription. In fact, he points out, Panama foresees a prison term of 20 to 30 years for this type of act.

On the other hand, it confirms that the claimant country can be aware of the crime since it occurred in its territory, and that the body that will prosecute the matter is permanent and not exceptional.