BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Aug. 05.2018 – THE man who failed to board a cruise vessel last year, and later turned out to be a national of St. Kitts and Nevis but was on the run from prosecution in the United States, has been extradited.
Police in a press statement confirmed that Keith Oniel Braid, who goes by the alias Christopher Antonio Nile and was the subject of extradition proceedings in Saint Christopher and Nevis, was charged with two (2) counts of attempted second-degree murder in the State of Florida.
They disclosed that his criminal prosecution began on September 01, 2016 in the Orange County Court in the State of Florida, and on September 01, 2017 the Defendant entered into a plea agreement whereby he pleaded no contest to the charges.
Police explained that in accordance with the terms of his plea agreement, Braid remained free until the date of his sentencing which was set for the September 28, 2017. However, on that date the defendant did not appear before the Orange County Court.
Instead, Braid arrived in the federation on board a cruise vessel on November 29, 2017, under the name Christopher Antonio Nile. He disembarked the vessel and remained in the Federation. Upon their departure, authorities aboard the cruise vessel discovered he was missing and made a report to the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force.
Following the issuance of a news bulletin, he turned himself in to the Basseterre Police Station on November 30, 2017.
“On December 15, 2017 a provisional request for extradition of Keith Oniel Braid, otherwise known as Christopher Antonio Nile, was made by the U.S. State Department to the local competent authority. The provisional arrest was executed on January 11, 2018. A formal request for extradition was made on February 22, and that formal request for extradition was received in April 2018,” police confirmed.
A hearing on the extradition was conducted by Magistrate Reynold Benjamin on June 05, 2018.
Ten days later, Braid was committed to Her Majesty’s Prison to await the decision of the Minister of Foreign Affairs as to his extradition. He was advised of his right to file a writ of Habeas Corpus within fifteen (15) days of the date of the Magistrate’s order, if he wished to challenge the Magistrate’s decision and prevent his extradition. The timeframe expired on July 02, 2018 and no writ was filed by or on behalf of Mr. Braid.
On July 30, the Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a warrant for the surrender of Mr. Braid to authorities from the United States of America. This surrender took place on Friday August 03, 2018.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Valston M. Graham, and Crown Counsel, Greatess Gordon, appeared on behalf of the United States of America in the courts proceedings.
