Convicted Turkish Cypriot businessman Asil Nadir arrived in North Cyprus after his extradition to Turkey by the UK.
Landing at Ercan on Saturday morning, his first words were that he would contribute to the struggle of North Cyprus. “Sit tight”, he said, “everything is going to be great”.
Nadir who was convicted of fraud and theft of millions of pounds from his own company Polly Peck International, said that he had been homesick for Cyprus.
After spending three years under house arrest following charges made against him by the Serious Fraud Squad in the UK, in 1993, Nadir escaped to France and later turned up in North Cyprus.
Stating that he wanted to clear his name, he returned to Britain in 2010. After a two year court case at the Old Bailey, Nadir was convicted of fraud and theft and sentenced to ten years imprisonment in 2012. He was ordered to pay 5 million pounds in compensations and to repay 2 million pounds in Legal Aid fees.
Following two years of negotiations between the British and Turkish authorities, after agreeing to renounce his British citizenship, Nadir was extradited to Turkey on Thursday evening. He was then transferred to Silivri prison in Istanbul.
A British Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “It is right that foreign criminals are properly punished but not at the expense of British taxpayers.
“This government is committed to removing foreign criminals to their own countries. Since Asil Nadir has now repaid the £2m he owed the Legal Aid Agency, plus £5m in compensation he paid earlier, arrangements were made with the Turkish government for his removal as part of our Prisoner Transfer Agreement.”
On Saturday, Nadir arrived home in North Cyprus.
Kibris Postasi, LGC News
