Huawei CFO Extradition Hearing Concludes, Judge’s Decision Coming in Fall

Over two-and-a-half years after Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver, the Huawei CFO’s marathon extradition hearing finally come to an end on Wednesday. However, B.C. Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes has reserved a decision until later, with proceedings adjourned until Oct. 21 — reports CBC News.

With legal arguments from both Meng’s defence lawyers and Crown prosecutors led by the Justice Department’s chief counsel, Robert Frater, now laid out, Judge Holmes is tasked with determining whether or not the Huawei CFO should be handed over to authorities in the U.S., where she is expected to face fraud charges.

The U.S. aims to put Wanzhou on trial for allegedly misleading an HSBC executive in Hong Kong back in 2013 as to Huawei’s relationship with a subsidiary that had violated economic sanctions against Iran.

“No one has received a fairer extradition hearing in this country than Ms. Meng. Even to the point of getting the last word,” said Frater in court after the defence’s final arguments.

Frater also claimed that Wanzhou’s defence was entirely forthcoming. “There was some truth,” he admitted. “But we say, not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

After reserving a verdict on the case, Judge Holmes set the next appearance in the proceedings for Oct. 21. However, Holmes warned not to expect a verdict at that point — only a better idea of when one might be delivered.

In a tweet following the proceedings, Huawei Canada said that the company “has been confident in Ms. Meng’s innocence and has trusted the Canadian justice system” from the get-go.

The decision from B.C. Supreme Court coming in October happens to come after the Canadian federal election, currently set for September 20, 2021.

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