Pacific / Tonga

Tonga deportation case now before Honolulu court

15:49 pm on 24 November 2016

The US Justice Department has sought a provisional arrest with a view towards extradition of a US citizen Dean Fletcher, who is wanted in Tonga for the alleged murder of his wife in July this year.

Mr Fletcher was moved to Honolulu earlier this week from American Samoa, after the courts there had dismissed charges of entering the territory illegally.

After that dismissal he was handed over to US federal marshals who took him to Honolulu.

Dean Fletcher, shortly after arriving in American Samoa Photo: Tauva Esera

Tonga has sought to have Mr Fletcher extradited and Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Butrick has now filed an 8-page initial extradition request with the federal court in Honolulu.

He had sailed to Pago Pago after escaping from prison in Vava'u in September.