Raid suspect to remain in Morocco

The robbers got away with £53m cash from the Tonbridge depot

Police have failed in their bid to have a suspect in the £53m robbery at a Kent cash depot extradited from Morocco.

Cage-fighter Lee Murray, 29, who has joint British and Moroccan nationality, was held in Morocco a few months after the raid in Tonbridge in February 2006.

Kent Police said a court in Morocco had ruled that Mr Murray was considered Moroccan so could not be extradited.

Five other men were convicted and jailed last year in connection with the Securitas depot robbery.

Kent Police said they would continue to work with police in Morocco on the Securitas inquiry.

'Maintains innocence'

Mr Murray's lawyer, Abdellah Benlamhidi, said his client had been rearrested in Morocco after the court ruling.

He said the British authorities had made a formal request to the Moroccan authorities to have him tried in that country, but that his client maintained his innocence.

"He has always said he had nothing to do with this robbery and he is not scared of a trial in Morocco," said Mr Benlamhidi.

Michael Caplan QC, a leading expert on international law, said it would depend on Moroccan domestic law whether it was possible to try Mr Murray there.

During the raid in 2006, the Securitas depot manager Colin Dixon and his family were kidnapped at gunpoint by men posing as police officers.

The five convicted last year were found guilty of kidnap, robbery and firearms charges.

Stuart Royle, Lea Rusha, Jetmir Bucpapa, and Roger Coutts were given indeterminate sentences and ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years.

Emir Hysenaj was handed a 20-year term and was told he would serve a minimum of 10 years.