Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Crown hours on Dotcom detailed

Updated at 2:05 pm on 3 August 2012

Crown lawyers have logged more than 4000 hours working to ensure Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is extradited to the United States.

Megaupload was indicted in a federal court in Virginia, USA, on 19 January this year and the site was shut down. Mr Dotcom and three co-accused were arrested in Auckland, New Zealand, the following day.

Formal papers requesting their extradition were lodged by the United States in early March. An extradition hearing is scheduled for next year.

Documents obtained by Radio New Zealand reveal that Crown lawyers have spent 4042 hours on the case since July last year.

The documents also reveal Crown lawyers spent more than $20,000 on airfares, travel costs and barrister and solicitor fees between October last year and March.

Mr Dotcom will be back in the High Court in Auckland next week to determine what should be done with evidence that has been found, by the court, to be collected illegally.

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