Teacher wanted over killing in Burma ‘is living in a Scottish f lat’
A SCOTTISH teacher on Interpol’s most wanted list over claims he beat a colleague to death in Burma is believed to be living in Glasgow.
Harris Binotti left his flat in Rangoon in November after Gary Ferguson, 47, was found dead there following a night drinking together.
Last week, Interpol issued a global ‘red notice’ alert for Binotti, who is originally from Dumfries, after Burmese police named him chief suspect.
Reports claim Binotti, 26, was spotted leaving a flat in the Craigton district of Glasgow which he is thought to share with his long-term Belgian girlfriend Elsy Devolder.
Yesterday, the victim’s brother, Martin Ferguson, said he was stunned to discover Binotti has apparently been living in Scotland’s largest city for months.
Mr Ferguson, 50, from Bangor, County Down, claimed to have credible information that Binotti has been using an alias to work in a call centre. He said: ‘He was never hiding. He was out and about. I understand there are a few procedures that have to be followed through before they can make an arrest. But I thought this would have been sorted by now, and I can’t really understand how he can still be walking around like this.
‘He seems to have been enjoying himself, drinking in local bars with his girlfriend, while our family’s lives have been ruined and I have lost my best friend. It’s shocking, just unbelievable, to see him going about his business and enjoying himself with not a care. We want to put Gary to rest, but we can’t do that until this is over with.’
Interpol’s notice alerts police forces around the world that Binotti is wanted on a charge of murder and means police could begin co-operating across national boundaries, with a view to extraditing him.
It is understood Burmese prosecutors have yet to produce documents formally setting out the case against Binotti, which Scottish authorities require before arresting him – a process that could take months.
Binotti took up a post as an English teacher last year at a school in Rangoon where Mr Ferguson also taught. The men are believed to have returned to Binotti’s flat after a night out. Neighbours later reported hearing sounds of a fight.
Media reports said Mr Ferguson’s wife found his body, which had head and chest injuries.
After the issue of the red notice last week, a Police Scotland spokesman declined to comment on Binotti’s whereabouts, saying: ‘We will monitor any ongoing risk and take appropriate measures.’
Last night, the spokesman said the force had nothing further to add following the apparent sighting of Binotti.