AN OXFORDSHIRE banker wanted in Hong Kong on corruption charges has begun a High Court battle to prevent his extradition to the former British colony.
Ewan Launder, 60, of Norman Hall, Sutton Courtenay, is the former chief executive of Wardley Ltd - the investment arm of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank. He faces 14 separate charges and fears he will not be tried in Hong Kong but transferred to mainland China.
He claims he would not get a fair trial, with the court subject to interference by the Chinese authorities.
Launder was arrested in September 1993 as he stepped off a flight from Berlin to London Heathrow.
He had been pursued across three continents by auth- orities investigating the charges against him.
The charges include accepting bribes from two top Hong Kong busin- essmen between 1980 and 1982 - allegedly involving £4.5m.
After spending time in jail, Launder successfully applied for bail.
He had to deposit a security of £400,000 plus sureties totalling £350,000, surrender his passport and report to police once a week.
His counsel, James Eadie QC, told the High Court: "My client fears that his case would be heard in mainland China and be subject to the overriding powers of the People's Republic and the Central People's Govern- ment."
The hearing continues.
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