Former Panama military ruler Manuel Noriega remains in jail in the United States, even though his 17-year sentence for drug offences has come to an end.
He was due to leave jail in the U.S. and be transferred to France, where he has been convicted on money laundering charges.
A U.S. judge rejected an appeal last week made by Noriega that sought to block his transfer. Meanwhile his defense lawyers filed a last minute appeal which will be heard by a federal court in Georgia, however may take a few weeks.
For now, Mr. Noriega will remain in his cell in Miami.
"The government has agreed to keep General Noriega here until all appeals are exhausted," Mr. Noriega’s lawyer Frank Rubino reported.
Manuel Noriega was sentenced to 10 years in jail in France in 1999 for laundering money through French banks in order to buy luxurious real estate.
But prior to he was also charged with drug-trafficking, election-rigging and human rights violations, which led to the US invasion into Panama and Noriega to get arrested in 1989, serving 17 years.
To read more stories on World issues, please visit:
http://news.finditt.com/NewsList.aspx?cat=11&wcat=1
