A man arrested over the death of his former partner in Switzerland more than 10 years ago has won his bid to keep his name secret for now.
The man appeared at the Auckland District Court today, where lawyer Grant Illingworth, QC, said identification would be an important issue at trial and naming his client could impinge his rights to a fair trial in Switzerland.
Speaking on behalf of the Swiss government, Crown lawyer Simon Barr said identifying the man would have no impact on his trial, in the same way that naming people in New Zealand courts did not impinge their fair trial rights.
Judge David Sharp said it was early days in the proceedings and it was not possible to determine the issues of trial yet.
He freed the man on electronically monitored bail ahead of his extradition hearing, likely to be in December or February.
The Swiss authorities want to extradite the man over the death of a woman in 2000.