A FATHER-of-two who was arrested over a murder in Italy has been reunited with his family after being released on bail.

Chef Edmond Arapi was detained at Gatwick Airport as he returned from a holiday in the country of his birth, Albania, with his family on June 16.

At an extradition hearing in London last week, the 29-year-old Albanian was granted conditional bail. But had to remain in Wandsworth Prison, London, because wife Georgina was initially unable to raise a £5,000 surety.

But he returned home to Langford Street on Monday after her aunt, Carolyn Bailey, paid the money.

Mr Arapi said yesterday that he was told by officials after his arrest that the suspect for the murder in Italy in October 2004, was someone by the name of Edmond Braka, from the same Albanian village.

But they had Mr Arapi's photograph alongside the name on file.

Monday was the first time he had seen his two children, Maria aged six and two-year-old Sarina, since his arrest and the first time in eight days he had spoken to his wife, Georgina.

He said:"I can't explain how happy I am to be home.

"Carolyn is a star and an angel and when we have finished building our villa in Albania she will have the entire top floor."

He described the past two weeks in prison since his arrest as 'hell.'

He added: "They arrested me but had someone else's name with my picture. I have no idea how that has happened.

"If they had any evidence against me I would have been arrested straight away and they would have been looking for me in Albania.

"I now have to wear an electronic tag with a curfew of midnight and I am not allowed to go outside the house, even in the back garden, until after 6am. And I must report to Leek police station everyday."

Georgina, aged 26, who met her husband while they were both studying at Stoke-on-Trent College in 2001, said she and the children were ecstatic when they collected Edmond from Stoke train station.

She said: "Maria ran straight into his arms and Sarina was over the moon.

"According to the solicitor and Albanian embassy in London he is very lucky to have had his bail fee set at £5,000.

"Usually it's more like £100,000 so that has given us more hope."

She said Mr Arapi had never even been to Italy and when the matter is resolved the family will be looking for compensation.

Mr Arapi said he was working at the former Cafe Davide restaurant in Getliffes Yard, Leek, when the murder took place and has proof of two deliveries he signed for while at work on the day in question.

The family and their solicitor have now brought in a handwriting expert to asses examples of Mr Arapi's handwriting and signatures to prove his innocence.

His former boss from Cafe Davide, Mike Muir, has also been helping by providing wage slips confirming Mr Arapi was at work for a full week at the time the murder took place.

And he will be giving evidence at the next hearing with Georgina and Edmond.

Mr Arapi said he does not fear being found guilty because he knows he is innocent. But he is scared of being extradited because he will lose everything after 10 years living in the UK.

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