Brunei prince faces UK arrest warrant

A British judge issued an arrest warrant for Brunei's Prince Jefri Bolkiah after he failed to show up for a court hearing yesterday.

The disgraced brother of the oil-rich state's ruling sultan is enmeshed in long-running legal proceedings over billions of dollars he is alleged to have embezzled while he was Brunei's finance minister.

Jefri, dubbed the "Playboy Prince" for his lavish lifestyle, was due in court yesterday to face allegations that he violated a court order to hand over 3 billion pounds ($5.9 billion) in cash and assets to the Brunei government's investment arm.