San Juan (Trinidad), May 29 (IANS) Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner remained in custody in Trinidad and Tobago after his arrest in connection with United States corruption charges, a senior official in the Trinidadian Ministry of the Attorney General said.
Warner was detained after Trinidadian authorities received a request from the US on provisional arrest pending extradition but “there’s no formal extradition request yet”, Kylene Deosingh said on Thursday. The former FIFA executive remains behind bars after failing to post a bail of TT $2.5 million, reports Efe.
Deosingh said that if US authorities don’t submit a formal request for extradition within 60 days “Warner can make a request for the charges to be discharged”. Warner’s next hearing is set for July 9.
The 72-year-old businessman and politician proclaimed himself “innocent of any charges” on Wednesday after Swiss and US authorities accused him of corruption alongside 13 other sports executives named in indictments. He surrendered to authorities hours after issuing a press release insisting that he “walked away from the politics of world football to immerse myself in the improvement of lives in this country where I shall, God willing, die”.
News of corruption allegations came as FIFA is set to meet in Zurich on Friday to elect the organisation’s president.