Extradition accepted: Taha Oualidat ready to be repatriated to France for the murder of Philippine

After an initial refusal of extradition on October 17, Taha Oualidat, the main suspect in the Philippine murder case, has finally decided to reverse his decision, according to information from BFMTV confirmed by H24 MEDIA. Following consultation with his Swiss lawyer, Maître Florence Yersin, an official letter confirming his acceptance was sent to the Swiss Federal Office of Justice on October 29. This reversal of position paves the way for Taha Oualidat’s imminent return to France, where he can be heard by the judicial authorities.

“He now seems determined and coherent in his approach,” says Florence Yersin, adding that Taha Oualidat’s decision not to appeal had been carefully considered, with a view to speeding up the French procedure. As soon as confirmation is received from the Swiss authorities, coordination between the French and Swiss police will be set in motion to organize his transfer, scheduled for the next few days, according to a source familiar with proceedings in Switzerland.

A journey between crime and judicial decisions

22-year-old Taha Oualidat was arrested in Geneva on September 24, three days after the murder of 19-year-old student Philippine in Paris’s Bois de Boulogne. A native of Morocco who arrived in France in 2019, he already had a criminal record, having been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for rape shortly after his arrival on French soil.

Last September, despite his conviction and planned deportation to Morocco, Taha Oualidat failed to comply with residence and check-in obligations imposed after his release under surveillance, evading authorities before being found in Geneva.

Now that his extradition has been accepted, Taha Oualidat could be questioned by a French judge in the next few days.