Lawyer: Dotcom case tarnishing reputation of NZ justice system

Kim Dotcom (Photo: Briar Marbeck)
Kim Dotcom (Photo: Briar Marbeck)

Kim Dotcom's lawyer says New Zealand's justice system will be tarnished if a hearing to extradite his client to the United States is allowed to continue.

Ron Mansfield says Dotcom can't access the evidence he needs to properly defend himself because of a restraining order by the US.

That has meant he's been denied access to funds to pay for expert witnesses and the time needed to prepare his defence, Mr Mansfield said.  

"In my submission, our court must be concerned about the manipulation of jurisdiction."

Yesterday defence counsel Grand Illingworth QC described how even the very definitions of the crimes the men were accused of weren't clear in a New Zealand context. He said it was impossible to navigate the extradition treaty without outside help.

Dotcom, Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk are facing extradition to face copyright infringement and money laundering charges in the US. 

The court is currently hearing an application to stay the hearing. 

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