DURBAN - CONVICTED Portuguese fugitive João Manuel de Oliveira Rendeiro made a brief appearance in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Rendeiro was convicted of a multimillion-dollar fraud case in Portugal and absconded from the country.
The court heard yesterday that Rendeiro intends to apply for bail.
Natasha Kara, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said yesterday that Rendeiro was arrested on a red notice issued by Interpol.
“When they found out he had left the country, he had already been sentenced in Portugal to a term of imprisonment.
“He was sentenced on charges of tax fraud and money laundering.”
Kara added that there will be an extradition process for Rendeiro and explained that he would be allowed to apply for bail.
“The State and parties will be consulting over the extradition process but at the same time, according to the Criminal Procedure Act, a fugitive is allowed to apply for bail in the country where they are arrested.
“So that will happen parallel to whatever application there is for the extradition of Rendeiro.”
Rendeiro was arrested by Interpol’s National Crime Bureau in uMhlanga on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo earlier said that the head of the Judicial Police of Portugal, Luis Neves, had brought the matter to the attention of the National Police Commissioner, General Khehla John Sitole, during a bilateral meeting at the 89th Interpol General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey.
Naidoo said Sitole committed to tracking and tracing the fugitive after it emerged that he may be hiding in South Africa.
He was traced to uMhlanga Rocks where he was arrested.
Rendeiro was remanded in police custody and the matter was adjourned to today.
Reuters reported on Sunday that Rendeiro had been the ex-president of the small private investment bank Banco Privado Português (BPP).
It also reported that BPP collapsed in 2010, triggering investigations and legal proceedings for tax fraud, forgery and money laundering. Rendeiro had been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment before he escaped.
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