'He is my brother, not a human trafficker'

Italian prosecutors are investigating whether the wrong man was extradited to Italy in a major operation against people-smuggling, the BBC reported yesterday

London: Italian prosecutors are investigating whether the wrong man was extradited to Italy in a major operation against people-smuggling, the BBC reported yesterday.

Medhanie Mered in Italy. PIC/AFP

People said to be friends and family of the detainee – A 35-year-old Eritrean man – have told the BBC he is Medhanie Tesfarmariam Berhe (27). Speaking to BBC Seghen Tesfarmariam Berhe, said, “He’s not Mered Medhanie. He’s my younger brother. His name is Medhanie Tesfar-mariam Berhe.

“He is not a human trafficker. He is my brother. I called the [Sudanese] police but they said there is no person with that name... They told me there is nobody with that name in prison. All of a sudden I see him in Italy.” Francesco Lo Voi, the chief prosecutor in the Italian city of Palermo, now said, “we are carrying out the necessary checks.”

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