As of December 2018, the Canadian police arrested Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou. The case is still yet to be resolved, just as some will say it is expected of the case to continue for years with the way it stands. While the significant witness to be cross-examined has refused to make himself available to testify on the open-ended hearing.
The US issued the warrant that authorized Huawei’s CFO’s arrest by the Canadian police immediately after landing at the Vancouver International Airport. A scenario like this could only happen if the accused has committed a crime that has to do with life, finance, or any crime that needs justification.
Meng Wanzhou is a successful woman in her late forties. She is still charged for orchestrating misleading financial information about the business transactions her company conducted in Iran; this led banks to fracture US sanctions. Meanwhile, Meng has been restricted due to house arrest. Favourably for her, she owns a home in the same state she was arrested, Vancouver. Still, she insists on her innocence.
The potential witness who refused to be cross-examined at the British Columbia Supreme Court was also amongst the officers that arrested her, a high ranked policeman, Staff Sergent Ben Chang. Not being present to testify, her lawyers’ keeps reminding the court how Meng’s right was defiled before her arrest. The lawyers representing Huawei’s CFO also noted how alarming it is for a core witness who fights for the law refuses to attend court to continue fighting for the law.
Moreover, Sergeant Chang representing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who happens to be the key witness in Meng’s extradition case, did not testify because he was advised not to get involved by his lawyer. Although Chang may be retired, Meng’s lawyer believes that he was the officer who sent his clients a mobile device to the FBI.
Richard Peck is the defence lawyer representing the Huawei CFO, he is quite convinced that Chang, who has been dodging to take a stand in court – is the final piece to resolve Meng’s extradition. Peck notified the court of how alarming and unjust it is for a law enforcement individual to avoid cooperating with justice. He also noted that Chang’s actions might be consequentially refusing to appear in court.
Meanwhile, Richard Peck is more than convinced as he argued that his client’s civil rights were violated. Canadian law enforcement had abused the process, which is enough to warrant the discharge of the extradition. In the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, the prosecutor representing the Canadian governments still in the position where he tries to prove the motive for her arrest was by the book.
It has been two years since this case has been ongoing. Although the extradition hearing is scheduled to end as of April 2021, this case’s nature could continue for years if Meng cant prove her innocence or the Canadian Judicial system is reliable enough to judge with integrity. As the Canadian continues to hold Meng Wanzhou in custody, it promotes insecure political relations between Ottawa and Beijing, whereas, based on espionage, China has also arrested two Canadian citizens.
