Fugitive Faces Greek Music On Passport Count
The Age
Friday June 8, 2007
TONY Mokbel is expected to be convicted today of having a false passport, an offence carrying a fine or a jail term of up to three months.
A Greek police source confirmed that a conviction was imminent after the fugitive appeared before the chief prosecutor of the Appeals Court in Athens to sign papers related to his extradition warrant.As Mokbel was led away from court and taken back to jail, it emerged that Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty would arrive in Athens today to thank Greek authorities for helping catch the runaway.A federal police spokeswoman said Mr Keelty was overseas when Greek police arrested Mokbel and was heading to Greece on his way home.The legal papers signed yesterday allow authorities to jail Mokbel on the basis of the extradition agreement with Australia.Mokbel, who faced court yesterday wearing a black T-shirt and jeans, has a right to appeal against extradition. A hearing must be held within 40 days. A Greek police source confirmed allegations that Mokbel had tried to indirectly bribe police at the time of his arrest and later at the police station before he realised they knew his identity.Mokbel has been charged over a passport in the name of Stephen Papas but it emerged yesterday that he had entered Greece on another passport, since destroyed.He had been living in Hellenikon, an exclusive Athens suburb next to Glyfada, where he was arrested in a cafe while drinking coffee with a Greek man. The man owns a company for buying and selling yachts - existing only on paper and registered only three months ago - which Mokbel was funding. His business associate would not be charged with any crimes, sources said.Once convicted, Mokbel is expected to be transferred to the high-security Korydallos prison, south of Athens.-- With JAMES BUTTON, BRENDAN NICHOLSON
© 2007 The Age