Fraudster on the Run Abroad Extradited from Senegal After 14 Years... First African Country to Do So

A fraudster who fled overseas and stayed in Senegal just before a guilty verdict was handed down has been repatriated to Korea after 14 years. This is the first case of repatriating a criminal from an African country through an extradition procedure.

The Ministry of Justice announced on the 11th that Mr. A (69), who committed fraud and fled to Senegal, has been repatriated to Korea.

Ministry of Justice, Government Gwacheon Complex. Photo by Choi Seok-jin.

Mr. A was accused of deceiving a victim by promising to supply croaker fish from overseas upon receiving an advance payment, and embezzling 100 million won in November 2007. The Busan District Prosecutors' Office indicted Mr. A on fraud charges in June 2009.

Mr. A appeared in court in July 2009 and admitted to his crime. However, in March 2010, just before the verdict was to be announced, he suddenly left for France. Ultimately, a trial in absentia was conducted without Mr. A's presence, and in December 2010, he was sentenced to one year in prison. The sentence was finalized in December of the same year.

Due to Mr. A's overseas flight, the Ministry of Justice was unable to enforce the sentence. Upon confirmation by the Busan District Prosecutors' Office that Mr. A had entered Senegal, the Ministry requested extradition of Mr. A from Senegal in September 2014.

Since then, the government has made continuous efforts to repatriate Mr. A, providing essential information such as his actual residence to the Embassy of Senegal in Korea in November last year to secure his custody.

As a result, Senegalese authorities arrested Mr. A on December 8 of last year, and after going through the extradition trial process and obtaining approval from the President of Senegal, handed over Mr. A to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea. The Ministry of Justice repatriated Mr. A to Korea on the same day.

A Ministry of Justice official stated, "This case is the first instance of repatriating a criminal from an African country through an extradition procedure. Even though there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, the Ministry was able to repatriate Mr. A by closely communicating with the Embassy of Senegal in Korea and continuously persuading Senegalese authorities."

He added, "The Ministry of Justice will continue to track down and repatriate criminals who flee to evade Korea's judicial process, ensuring that those who commit crimes face strict legal judgment and that victims' damages are fully restored."