There was a ‘mistake’ in communicating a shift in the date – ECOWAS Court on Alex Saab’s case

After reports were rife that Alex Saab’s house arrest order could not materialize on Friday due to the absence of a Cape Verdean judge, Januária Costa, in the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, the court has through its spokesman, Ogoh Sunday, said there was rather a mistake in communicating a shift in the date to the parties involved, Premium Times reports.

Barlavento Court of Appeal on Thursday, January 21, 2021, reportedly said Alex Saab, 49, should rather be placed under house arrest while he fights an extradition request to face corruption charges in South Florida. An ECOWAS hearing which, according to reports, was expected to hold on Friday, January 22, 2021, for Mr. Saab to be released from prison and put under house arrest, however, did not come off.

A report had said Januária Costa, who is one of the three judges presiding over the case at the international court, cited ‘coronavirus pandemic’ as the reason for her absence even though the case was scheduled to hold virtually.

"Incredibly, the Cape Verde judge failed to attend. Her excuse was the 'pandemic'. Pathetic," a release from Saab's counsel read. "This was a deliberate attempt on the part of CV to sabotage the hearing and diminish the Court. We are working with Femi to establish the next steps and speak with the President of the Court."

But Ogoh Sunday is quoted to have responded that, “The facts of the matter is that; the Court had earmarked the case for hearing on the 4th of February, 2021, in its ‘Cause List’ published on the 21st of December 2020 and this can be verified on the website of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

“However, the List was reviewed as is a common practice and the date was brought forward to 2nd February 2021 in the revised ‘Cause List’ of 19th January 2021. This is consistent with the usual tradition of allocating convenient dates to hear matters before the Court.”

Meanwhile, reports suggest Saab has finally been put under house arrest.

Mr. Saab, a Colombian businessman linked to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro who is wanted by U.S. authorities on charges of money laundering, according to Notícias do Norte, “will be staying in a residence that was already being prepared for this purpose. Security will be maintained by elements of the PNs Intervention Corps and also by elements of private security.”

Saab was arrested by police in Cape Verde last year on his way to Iran aboard a private jet. According to Times Union, U.S. officials believe Saab holds many secrets about how Maduro, his family, and top aides allegedly siphoned off millions of dollars in government contracts amid widespread hunger in the oil-rich nation.

Venezuela, which said it had given Saab a diplomatic status is of the view that he cannot be extradited to the U.S. because he is their diplomat and was on an assignment for them when he was arrested.