Cabo Verde's President Jorge Carlos Fonseca has told journalists that he cannot in any way influence the extradition process of Venezuelan businessman and diplomat Alex Saab.
According to him, he is not empowered to intervene in any way but rather, the country's courts.
The president made this known in Praia on Monday after confirming receipt of a letter from the UN Human Rights Committee directing it to suspend the extradition process of Alex Saab and also ensure that he has access to a physician of his choice.
The directive from the UN Human Rights Committee last week was based on a submission it received on the ensuing case. The committee has offered Cabo Verde the opportunity to respond to the letter with its side of information on the matter to enable it take a final decision.
President Fonseca said he has been briefed about the developments on the case but he cannot intervene in any way.
"The process has taken some time, it has had several procedural incidents, it has already been subject to decisions of the Barlavento Court of Appeal (TRB), there were appeals to the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ)," he said.
The president added that, "At this moment the process is at the TC, which is an autonomous constitutional jurisdiction. Therefore, people must understand, and I believe that everyone understands, that is, there is no one connected to the process who does not know that neither the President of the Republic, nor the Prime Minister, nor the Minister of Justice cannot intervene or suspend anything in a process that is before the courts. I cannot go on any longer. As President of the Republic, let's suppose, even if I thought there were problems of justice, injustice, legality or illegality, I have no means of intervening. I can't. How do I intervene? Do I make a presidential decree?."
The president said even if he had a different view, he cannot put it forward because it will have no effect.
"I have no interest in that [intervening]. I may have an opinion, but it's not worth anything. The opinion that counts is the opinion of the Constitutional Court," he told the journalists.
But the defence team of Alex Saab are of the view that the president's position is alarming.
The team in a statement said it is surprised that President Fonseca is implying that he can't ensure Alex Saab's basic rights as directed by the UN Human Rights Committee.
It further said the directive of the committee is binding on the executive, legislative and judicial body hence the president cannot claim to have no power in ensuring the implementation of the directive.
Venezuelan businessman and diplomat, Alex Saab has been in state custody in Cabo Verde since June 2020 when he was arrested in the West African country.
Cabo Verde wants to extradite him to the US on the latter's request to face charges of corruption there.
The extradition process has not been carried out due to the many legal challenges put in by his lawyers who contend that the action is illegal.
Business mogul Alex Saab