Former lover of Cecilia Haddad officially wanted for her murder
THE Brazilian former lover of Sydney businesswoman Cecilia Haddad is officially wanted for her murder after NSW Police secured a warrant for his arrest, The Daily Telegraph can reveal. But authorities still face a tough battle to bring Mario Marcelo Santoro back to Australia.
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THE Brazilian former lover of Sydney businesswoman Cecilia Haddad is officially wanted for her murder after NSW Police secured a warrant for his arrest, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.
But authorities still face a tough battle to bring Mario Marcelo Santorobefore an Australian court because of extradition difficulties and Brazil’s reluctance to send its citizens to face trial overseas even for the most serious crimes.
It is understood police have approached the federal Attorney-General’s Department about formally extraditing Mr Santoro, 40. It is also understood police have asked Canberra to seek help from Brazilian authorities with the investigation, including getting access to the nation’s citizens.
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The warrant makes Mr Santoro a fugitive who would be arrested on the spot if police found him in Australia. But while Brazil and Australia have an extradition agreement, the process is understood to be complicated.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was asked about the death of Ms Haddad this morning.
“Of course we’ll work cooperatively with the police and do everything we can to see justice served,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“That was a tragic case. I think all of us did feel quite shocked by what happened to her. And we want to make sure justice is served.”
Mr Santoro has not been charged. He told the Telegraph in Rio de Janeiro last month he had spoken to police about Ms Haddad’s death and had put himself “at their disposal”. He said then: “I have nothing to say about this, you will have to speak to my lawyer.”
Mr Santoro left Sydney on April 29, the day Ms Haddad’s body was found floating in the Lane Cove River with rocks in her khaki pants in an apparent bid to weigh the body down. The 38-year-old former mining executive had been reported missing the day before by friends after she failed to show up to appointments. She had kicked Santoro out of her Ryde apartment two weeks earlier.
A post-mortem examination revealed she had been murdered, although police have refused to release the cause of her death. Her car, a red Fiat 500, was found at West Ryde railway station and her keys are believed to have been thrown off the Gladesville Bridge. Suspicion soon fell on Mr Santoro, who brought forward his travel plans and flew out of Sydney Airport around the same time as Ms Haddad’s body was discovered.
Brazilian-born Ms Haddad had been in Australia for more than 10 years and was in both a business and personal relationship with Santoro until she broke up with him a few weeks before her death.
The Telegraph understands the warrant for Mr Santoro’s arrest was signed by a Sydney magistrate several weeks ago after police set out the alleged evidence against him.
NSW Police have previously gone on the record as saying Mr Santoro was a person of interest in Ms Haddad’s murder, but also that they were pursuing numerous other leads. They have refused to comment on specific aspects of the case.
Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter yesterday refused to comment on the possible extradition.