A 38-year-old west African man wanted in the Netherlands on international child trafficking charges was remanded in custody by the High Court yesterday.
Jackson Smith, aka Peter Kwame Sarfo, who is currently detained at Cloverhill Prison, is wanted by the Dutch authorities who allege that he is involved in the trafficking of children from Nigeria into Europe.
It is further claimed that these children were initially brought into the Netherlands, and then sent on to other countries such as Italy and Spain where they are used as prostitutes.
Yesterday, the High Court was told that following his arrest and caution by gardaí yesterday the man at first denied that he was either Peter Kwame Sarfo or Jackson Smith.
However, he subsequently said that "I am Jackson Smith."
After the charges contained in the warrant were put to him he told gardaí: "I know nothing about this," and "this is not what I am wanted for."
He also told arresting gardaí that he was from the west African nation of Sierra Leone and not from Ghana.
After hearing the evidence, Mr Justice Michael Peart said that he was satisfied that the person before the court was the person whose arrest was being sought in the European Arrest Warrant.
The judge remanded the man in custody to Cloverhill Prison, following an application from counsel for the State, Tony McGillicuddy, and ordered that he appear before next Wednesday's sitting of the High Court.
No application for bail was made on Mr Jackson's behalf.