The U.K. Supreme Court’s ruling in the extradition case of British national Zain Taj Dean was welcomed June 28 by the Republic of China (Taiwan) Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice.
In judgment details released earlier the same day, Dean’s challenges were rejected to the competency of an appeal brought by the Lord Advocate against a September 2016 appellate court order quashing his extradition to Taiwan. The case will be returned to the appellate court for further hearings.
The ROC government is pleased with the Supreme Court’s ruling and expects to see Dean’s extradition proceed successfully, the MOFA said, adding that the development augurs well for the advancement of judicial affairs collaboration between Taiwan and the U.K.
Echoing these remarks, the MOJ described the decision as a victory for fairness and justice, and said it will continue closely monitoring the case in coordination with Taiwan’s representative offices in the U.K.
Dean fled Taiwan for Scotland in August 2012 while appealing his conviction for drunkenly driving his car into newspaper vendor Huang Chun-te’s scooter two years before. Huang later died in hospital from head injuries sustained during the crash.
He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and a compensation order of NT$7.55 million (US$248,045) in July 2012 by Taiwan Taipei District Court.
In Dean’s absence, the court confirmed his conviction and the MOJ applied for his extradition. On Oct. 17, 2013, Dean was arrested in Edinburgh the day after Taiwan and the U.K. concluded a memorandum of understanding on his extradition. (SFC-E)
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