By Rachel Morton
Internet millionaire Kim Dotcom has been denied bail in the High Court in Auckland today.
Who is Kim Dotcom?
In denying bail District Court Judge David McNaughton had ruled there was a real and significant possibility the German multimillionaire would flee.
In his efforts to convince a judge, Dotcom said that during his two weeks in custody he has had unwelcome attention from women wanting to correspond with him, and from someone pretending to be a prosecutor.
Dotcom is wanted by American authorities who accuse him and his Megaupload website of copyright breaches, racketeering and money laundering.
Dotcom took the stand at his bail appeal trying to prove he is not a flight risk.
“I want to fight this on a level playing field and have a fair chance to defend myself. Also, I have three little children, my wife [and] I’m due to have twins in the next two months - I just want to be with them.”
He is awaiting an extradition hearing and was denied bail last week in the district court.
Appealing that today he said all of his money has been frozen and he intends to fight the charges against him to get the money back, something he could not do if he skipped the country, perhaps to his homeland of Germany.
“What would I do in Germany with five kids a wife and no money? That's not an option for me.”
He denied allegations he resisted arrest when police raided his mansion at Coatesville and found him in a panic room, instead saying police used unnecessary force.
“I was punched in the face, I was kicked down on the floor, one guy was standing on my hand so they ruptured the nail and it was bleeding.”
Dotcom said he had been instructed to go to the panic room by his body guard if he felt he was in danger - and once he realised it was the police in his home he waited for them to find him.
“I thought it was wiser to just stay where I am. I didn't want to pop out of a door and be shot. I was scared.”
He admitted there were two firearms in the house loaded with both rubber bullets and live ammunition.
The court also heard from Dotcom that his arrest has led to some unwelcome attention, including people pretending to be lawyers who have contacted him in prison.
One told him he was a prosecutor and if Dotcom paid him the charges would be dropped. There are also women after his attention.
“I'm getting letters from women at prison wanting to exchange letters.”
Dotcom denied he has criminal connections which might help him flee the country.
“In the last two weeks I’ve made a lot of criminal connections, yes, but beyond that I have no criminal connections, no.”
He also had something to say about the content of his website Megaupload being deleted.
“It is my belief, and the belief of many legal experts who have given comment on this matter, that this is the biggest disregard of rights in internet history.”
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