Saturday, 9 Nov 2024

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou bail hearing continues on Monday

VANCOUVER — The bail hearing for Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou entered its second day on Monday after a number of developments in the case over the weekend.

The bail hearing opened on Friday with a B.C. Supreme Court judge hearing that the Chinese telecom executive, who was arrested at Vancouver International Airport on Dec. 1, is alleged to have violated U.S. sanctions on trade with Iran.

On Friday, a Crown lawyer told a packed courtroom that Meng, who faces extradition to the U.S., poses a flight risk due to her wealth, lack of ties to the jurisdiction, and the fact she mainly resides in China, a country that has no extradition treaty with the U.S. or Canada.

Defence countered by saying Meng owns two properties in Vancouver and would never flee from justice as it would dishonour her family, Huawei and China itself.

On Monday, Meng’s lawyer David Martin suggested if she is granted bail, a private security firm — Lions Gate Risk Management — be given the authority to apprehend Meng if she breaches bail.

Scot Filer, executive director of Lions Gate Risk Management Group, said in the event bail was granted, Meng could be supervised by his company. His plan would include a dedicated driver and security team, an encrypted system for texting, videos, and GPS, a home security package, and a weekly itinerary provided by Meng.

Meng would cover costs associated with the comprehensive supervision plan, the court heard.

New evidence released over the weekend offers a closer look at Meng’s connection to Vancouver and her possible coming legal defence.

Global News combed through hundreds of pages of documents released this weekend, including affidavits filed by both Meng and her husband Xiaozong Liu.

The affidavits reveal the couple owns two homes in Vancouver.

The filings reveal that Meng seeks to live at her home on West 28th Avenue if granted bail, and say her husband, daughter and extended family would move to the city to live with her. They also offer the homes’ equity as collateral against bail.

The documents also hint at Meng and Huawei’s legal strategy ahead of a potential U.S. court case.

Globalnews.ca coverage of the Meng Wanzhou case

Allegations outlined during the hearing said the Chinese telecommunication giant used an unofficial subsidiary, Skycom, to conduct business in Iran in contravention of U.S. sanctions.

Crown lawyer John Gibb-Carsley said Meng deceived financial institutions by saying Skycom and Huawei were separate when they were not.

The submission highlights a specific date when the fraud is alleged to have occurred, Sept. 3, 2013, in which Meng gave a PowerPoint presentation to an unnamed financial institution.

In it, Meng is alleged to have misrepresented Huawei’s ownership and control of Skycom and its compliance with U.S. laws.

The submission further argues that even if Huawei was in violation of sanctions — which it does not concede — there is no evidence Meng was aware of it.

“The case against the applicant seems to rest wholly on her reliance on a PowerPoint presentation prepared by others,” it states.

Over the weekend, Vancouver police investigated a break-in at a home believed to be owned by Meng.

Police said the suspects fled the scene after they were confronted by someone in the home. No suspects are in custody.

Meng’s detention has also derailed B.C.’s trade mission to China.

The delegation led by B.C. Forestry Minister Doug Donaldson will no longer be stopping in China, and will instead end its trip after a visit to Japan.

None of the allegations against Meng have been proven in court.

— With files from Rumina Daya, Emily Lazatin, Simon Little and The Canadian Press

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