Bring him to justice – commentary

Most requests for extradition are for murder cases or cases involving crimes involving children. Research indicates Canada’s request to Jamaica to extradite George Flowers on charges on aggravated sexual assault is extremely unusual. This fact in itself speaks to the severity of the charges against Flowers.

If you are unfamiliar with this case, here’s a recap. The Toronto Police Service have laid several charges of aggravated sexual assault against Flowers for failing to advise his partners he was HIV positive. This was over a period of 15 years. Some of those partners are now HIV positive themselves.

Mr Flowers fled to Jamaica, where he apparently hold citizenship. Once the Toronto Police had all their papers in order, Flowers was arrested by the Jamaican police and held in custody pending an extradition hearing. Jamaica, as a member of the British Commonwealth, uses the British system of courts, as does Canada. Consequently, Flowers is entitled to a hearing and the right of appeal should the decision go against him. At the time of writing, he is still in a Jamaican jail awaiting his last appeal, all previous lower court decisions having favoured Canada’s request.

It is expected that this final appeal will also support the extradition request and Flowers will shortly be on a plane bound for Toronto’s Pearson airport and a cell somewhere in Toronto. As he has already fled the country once, nobody can see him being granted bail.

I will update this situation as more confirmed information becomes available.

Cat.