On 6 September 2023 our client was charged with murdering his fiancee almost 40 years ago in Victoria, and Victorian police applied for his extradition and for him to be remanded in custody.
Senior Trial Advocate Manny Conditsis successfully resisted the extradition on the basis that the case against our client was weak and our client was granted bail, to appear of his own accord when the matter was listed in Melbourne Magistrate’s Court for 15 September.
In accordance with Victorian law, our client was taken into custody on 15 September as only a Supreme Court Judge can grant bail on a murder charge. The team at Conditsis Lawyers promptly filed an application for bail in the Victorian Supreme Court.
Kayla Nielsen, criminal lawyer, assisted in the preparation of a number of affidavits and the Application for Bail and Manny prepared extensive written submissions to the Supreme Court articulating why the case against our client was weak.
Manny Conditsis appeared in the Melbourne Supreme Court on 18 October 2023 before his Honour Justice Champion and strongly argued that the Victorian ‘exceptional circumstances test’ had been established and that bail should be granted.
Justice Champion agreed with Manny’s submissions and in reference to the prosecution’s case said: “it does not appear to be particularly strong or compelling” noting that our client also had no prior criminal convictions and strenuously denied the murder charge.
Our client and his family are confident that justice will prevail.
