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COSTA RICA |
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¢100
Million Colones To Keep Spaniard In Custody
Prior To Extradition
It has been some time, but Pedro Urrutia was
on his way home to Spain yesterday after
more than a year under heavy police guard,
waiting extradition, which cost the Costa
Rican people an estimate ¢100 million
colones.
Urrutia was detained by Costa Rican
authorities on October 21, 2008, following
an investigation by the Organismo de
Investigación Judicial (OIJ) on a home in
San Carlos.
The Spanish national had set himself up in
Costa Rica, purchasing a gasoline station in
Buenos Aires de Pocosl and several
properties, which were all confiscated
following the raid by the OIJ.
Urrutia had fled Spain to Costa Rica alleged
to have defrauded investors of more tha 18
million Euros. The man, while under police
custody in Spain, fled the medical centre
were he was being detained, making his way
to Costa Rica despite an international order
for his capture.
While in custody in Costa Rica, Urrutia
spent the last 13 months at the Clínica
Católica hospital in Goicoechea (San José),
suffering from a heart condition. The cost
of the stay is at the expense of the
Ministerio de Justicia, who made sure the
man did not flee custody again before been
handed over to Spanish authorities.
Under heavy police guard and travelling an
advanced medical unit ambulance, Urrutia
arrived at Base 2 of the Juan Santamaría
International airport, to catch his flight
to Spain where he faces at least five
different courts holding charges against
him.
Urrutia could almost taste his freedom as
the extradition date placed on him by the
Tribunal Penal de San Carlos was to expire
on Monday, when he would be set free if the
government of Spain had not picked him up. |
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