Dotcom extradition hearing to proceed
Mr Dotcom and his fellow Megaupload co-accused sought to delay the extradition hearing, which is scheduled next week.
Kim Dotcom has failed in his bid to delay an extradition fight with the US.
Mr Dotcom and his fellow Megaupload co-accused last week sought to delay the extradition hearing, which is scheduled to begin in Auckland next week.
But today the Court of Appeal has rejected the bid.
Mr Dotcom earlier tweeted the New Zealand judiciary had proven itself to be a US-owned “dancing bear.”
He and his co-accused had argued they have been denied natural justice because they are unable to pay for expert witnesses outside of New Zealand.
Justice John Wild said during the hearing he, along with Justices John Fogarty and Jillian Mallon, were “presented with an impossible task” in assessing the submissions before next week’s trial.
The Court of Appeal judgment says the arguments can be made at the extradition hearing, and the accused will be able to appeal any decision if it goes against them.
Mr Dotcom, Mathias Ortmann, Bram van der Kolk and Finn Batato were charged by the US in 2012 of conspiracy to operate websites used to illegally distribute copyrighted material.
The four have been in a lengthy battle with the US and the Crown, which has confiscated their assets, and wants them extradited to face the charges.
In May, Justice Sarah Katz had ruled Mr Dotcom and his co-accused would face an extradition hearing at a date no earlier than September 1 this year.
Read the judgment here.
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