Oil tycoon John Deuss will return to court this month for his latest attempt to get a warrant against him ruled unlawful.

The Dutch multi-millionaire — who remains a suspect in an international fraud investigation, according to prosecutors in his homeland — is taking his case to the Court of Appeal on March 17 and 18.

The Royal Gazette understands that British QC Clare Montgomery will return to the Island to argue that a warrant for his arrest issued by Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo in September 2006, which led to his voluntary extradition from Bermuda to Holland, was not legal.

Miss Montgomery, who once represented former Chilean ruler General Augusto Pinochet, made the same case in Supreme Court but Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller was not convinced and upheld the warrant. The Court of Appeal judges will now be asked to overturn her decision.

Mr. Deuss, who has a home in Tucker's Town and an office in Flatts, went back to the Netherlands voluntarily in October 2006 to be questioned about suspected money laundering, handling of stolen property and being in charge of a criminal organisation.

His First Curaço International Bank (FICB) in the Dutch Antilles were said to be involved in a complex "carousel" fraud which has lost European governments billions in tax revenues in recent years. Mr. Deuss has always denied any wrongdoing.

The 65-year-old spent two months in custody in Holland before being released on bail by a judge. Valentine Hoen, a spokeswoman for the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, told this newspaper recently: "Nothing has changed. He is still on bail and we are investigating."

Mr. Deuss was chairman of Bermuda Commercial Bank but resigned on October 5, 2006 after the probe into suspected illegal banking by some clients of FICB was launched.

Mr. Tokunbo issued the warrant for his arrest after a request from the Government on behalf of the Dutch authorities who wanted him extradited.

Mr. Deuss' lawyer Mark Pettingill challenged the legality of the warrant in Magistrates' Court and lost. Two further attempts in the Supreme Court were unsuccessful.

Miss Montgomery previously told the Supreme Court her client wanted the warrant overthrown so he would be "free to live in Bermuda free from the risk of arrest".

Bermuda Police Service issued a public appeal for help in tracking Mr. Deuss down on October 6, 2006.

He was arrested five days later at a property on the Island normally used to accommodate the pilots who fly his private jets.