In a significant legal victory, former FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has won his decade-long battle against extradition to the United States to face corruption charges.
The high court in Trinidad and Tobago ruled on Tuesday that the extradition proceedings against Warner were flawed due to the absence of an official extradition agreement between the two countries.
Justice Karen Reid declared that the extradition process was “fundamentally flawed” and permanently stayed the proceedings against Warner.
The court’s decision means that Warner will not face trial in the United States for the charges laid out in the 47-count indictment.
Warner’s legal team argued that the lack of a formal extradition treaty between Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S. rendered the extradition process invalid.
Warner expressed relief and vindication following the ruling, stating, “I could never get back the lost reputation, which has happened to me. My life can now begin afresh, but it’s 10 years too late.”
He also described the case against him as a “political witch hunt” and expressed gratitude to his family for their support during the ordeal.
Warner has consistently denied any wrongdoing despite numerous corruption allegations stemming from his time in FIFA.
Warner faces charges of racketeering and bribery related to his time as a high-ranking official within FIFA. U.S. authorities allege that Warner abused his positions for personal gain, including accepting bribes related to the 2010 World Cup bid awarded to South Africa and the 2018 World Cup bid won by Russia.
Warner was forced out of FIFA in 2011 over a bribery scandal and has been fighting extradition since 2015.
Warner has pledged to re-engage with the sport that made him an international figure, stating, “I want to be able to revive football in the country. I want to be able to lend to this sport that made me who I am some help because I think that football can do wonders.”
He also expressed his willingness to serve the country once again, having previously held positions as a government minister and member of Parliament in Trinidad and Tobago.
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