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Colombian woman appears in London court over extradition bid in girls’ poisoning case
Zulma Guzman Castro, a 54-year-old Colombian businesswoman, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court as Colombia seeks her extradition to face allegations of murder and attempted murder. She is accused of supplying chocolate-covered raspberries poisoned with thallium, which led to the deaths of two schoolgirls; the extradition hearing is expected to last a week.
Ines de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13, reportedly died four days after eating the berries in Bogotá in April last year. A 21-year-old brother of one of the girls and another teenager also ate them and were taken to hospital. Castro denies no charges in the article; the case remains an accusation, and a judge said psychiatrists and a National Crime Agency officer are due to give evidence.
In short
- Colombia is seeking Castro’s extradition over alleged murder and attempted murder.
- Two schoolgirls died after eating thallium-laced chocolate raspberries.
- The week-long hearing is under way at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Explained simply
Thallium is a highly poisonous metal, and exposure can cause severe illness or death. The case concerns chocolate-covered raspberries that prosecutors in Colombia allege were laced with it and sent to a family in Bogotá.
The two girls named in the case were Ines de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13. A 21-year-old boy and another teenager also reportedly ate the berries and were taken to hospital.
Colombia is seeking the extradition of Zulma Guzman Castro, a Colombian businesswoman, so she can face murder and attempted murder allegations there. The allegations have not been proven; the extradition process will consider whether she should be sent to Colombia to face the case.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Colombian businesswoman accused of ‘killing two girls with poisoned raspberries’ appears in court to fight extradition”.