COURT BUILDING; COUNSEL FOR THE STATE AND THE DEFENCE; DR. SCHUMANN ESCORTED FROM BUILDING AND LEAVING BY CAR.




Initials JMC/V-S/RM/EEH



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Background: AN ACCRA MAGISTRATE'S COURT HAS ADJOURNED UNTIL MONDAY (22 AUGUST) THE HEARING OF AN APPLICATION BY WEST GERMANY FOR THE EXTRADITION OF A GERMAN DOCTOR NOW RESIDENT IN GHANA. THE DOCTOR IS 60-YEAR-OLD HORST SCHUMANN, WHO IS WANTED FOR ALLEGED MASS MURDER AT AUSCHWITZ AND OTHER NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMPS.

DR. SCHUMANN WORKED IN GHANA AFTER THE WAR. THE WEST GERMAN GOVERNMENT HAD MADE REPEATED APPLICATIONS FOR HIS EXTRADITION, BUT THEY WERE REJECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF DR. KWAME NKRUMAH. DR. SCHUMANN WAS ARRESTED LAST MARCH, A MONTH AFTER DR. NKRUMAH'S OVERTHROW AND AFTER AN EXTRADITION TREATY HAD BEEN INITIALLED BETWEEN THE NEW GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT AND WEST GERMANY.

AT THE HEARING YESTERDAY (FRIDAY), DR. SCHUMANN'S CHIEF COUNSEL, MR. R.D.AMOFA, TOLD THE COURT THAT HE COULD NOT COMPLETE THE CASE THAT DAY. "MY SUBMISSIONS", HE SAID, "WILL TAKE A VERY LONG TIME".

THE SENIOR STATE ATTORNEY, MR. S.A.C.FORDJOUR, IS REPRESENTING THE GHANA GOVERNMENT ON BEHALF OF THE WEST GERMAN GOVERNMENT. A GERMAN CRIMINAL LAW EXPERT, DR. JOSEPH FABRY, IS IN GHANA TO GIVE EVIDENCE AT THE PROCEEDINGS.