Estonian court may decide about Russian banker's extradition Friday

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The Tallinn-based Harju country court may decide on Friday about the lawfulness of the extradition to Russia of Alexander Dmitriyev, declared a fugitive in Russia for allegedly defrauding a bank of over 400 million roubles (EUR over 10 mln).

Since the beginning of this year Dmitriyev's defense have been using different opportunities to put off the possible extradition. In January they asked the decision be postponed in order to ask Russian law enforcement authorities to provide additional materials. The Public Prosecutor's Office agreed, and by the beginning of this month the materials had been received and handed to the sides in the proceeding. On Monday the court informed the defense and the Public Prosecutor's Office that the the matter of extradition will be handled on Tuesday.

At Tuesday's session Dmitriyev's lawyer announced that he needs more time to prepare his speech. The court agreed and scheduled the next sitting for Friday.

The court has to adopt a formal stance as to whether or not the extradition of Dmitriyev to Russia is legally possible. The final decision as regards the extradition has to be made by the minister of justice.

Estonia's central criminal police apprehended the former head of the Omsk branch of the Russian AK BARS Bank in January. A court here earlier remanded Dmitriyev in custody until the decision on his extradition to Russia or otherwise is made.

The Russian authorities have declared Dmitriyev internationally wanted and charged him with large-scale fraud.

The ex-banker and former member of the city council of Omsk in Siberia is alleged to have persuaded more than 100 people between 2007 and 2009 to sign mortgage contracts with the bank worth more than 350 million rubles or around 8.6 million euros then pocketing the money. He allegedly paid the phony borrowers 1,000 to 10,000 rubles (EUR 25-250) for it.

Dmitriyev also allegedly contracted around 80 million roubles' (EUR 2 mln) worth of loans with the help of his associates in the Omsk council who nominally ran the businesses controlled by him. The borrowed funds were transferred to the businesses and used for personal purposes "including the acquisition of valuable property - cars, speedboats and aircraft," prosecutors in Russia have said.

Information published earlier shows that Dmitriyev gave statements as witness in the case beginning from mid-2010. He stopped seeing investigators in December 2010, went into hiding later on and was declared a fugitive.

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