A Turkish man, residing in Malta, was yesterday arraigned under arrest after the Maltese authorities received a European Arrest Warrant asking for his extradition to face charges in Italy in connection with human trafficking.

Aslan Yilmaz, 46, is sought by the Tribunale di Modica for allegedly trafficking people and setting up and organising a criminal organisation.

Defence lawyer Joe Giglio told the court, presided over by magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona, that Mr Yilmaz has lived in Malta for the past 18 years and made a request for bail.

Dr Giglio also said that his client is facing similar but different charges before the Maltese courts and that these have to be concluded before he appears before the Italian courts.

Magistrate Micallef Trigona accepted Dr Giglio’s request and granted Mr Yilmaz bail against a deposit of Lm2,000 and a personal guarantee of Lm15,000.

Senior Counsel to the Republic Donatella Frendo Dimech represented the Attorney General while Police Inspectors Stella Attard and Sandro Zarb prosecuted.

In a separate arraignment, a French woman was brought before the court after the Maltese authorities received a European Arrest Warrant asking for her extradition to face charges of forgery and fraud in Germany.

Madeh Bejaoui, 22, who resides in London, is currently serving a prison sentence in Malta of 15 months, handed down by magistrate Saviour Demicoli after she pleaded guilty of defrauding HSBC of Lm1,000 in November.

She is sought by the Department of Public Prosecutions Munich 1 over charges of forgery and fraud.

Dr Frendo Dimech represented the Attorney General while Police Inspectors Ian Joseph Abdilla and M’Stella Attard prosecuted. Dr Richard Sladden appeared for Bejaoui.