The number two of the Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC) as well as a lieutenant of the organization were removed from their posts and assigned to administrative tasks for an indefinite period following the recent judgment which had severely blamed the conduct of the police and prosecutors in the case of the former mayor of Terrebonne.
It was the independent deputy for Chomedey, Guy Ouellette, who first revealed the affair in the chamber on Thursday, when he asked the government “what it intends to do with the delinquents stationed at UPAC and in the DPCP ”.
“Since last October 26, things have been happening at UPAC. Two of the police officers who lied to the court were targeted by administrative actions, that is to say the number two of the UPAC, Sylvain Baillargeon, and the officer Janik Lacoursière ”, launched Mr. Ouellette.
Sylvain Baillargeon, the associate commissioner for UPAC investigations, as well as Janik Lacoursière, a lieutenant in charge of the UPAC intelligence service, were blamed by judge Nancy McKenna on October 26, in a judgment ordering the arrest. the legal process against the former mayor of Terrebonne, Jean-Marc Robitaille.
The former mayor and three co-defendants were accused of participating in a corruption scheme in municipal affairs. But the judge ruled that the misconduct of the police and DPCP prosecutors, who allegedly maneuvered to hide information from the accused that could affect the credibility of an important witness in the prosecution, justified a stay of proceedings.
She denounced a “search for victory at all costs” by the representatives of UPAC and DPCP.
“The transgressions repeated by various actors of the State violate the rules of fair play and decency which society is entitled to expect from collaborators of justice”, underlined the magistrate.
A judgment taken seriously, according to UPAC
UPAC spokesperson Mathieu Galarneau confirmed to Press that Mr. Baillargeon is assigned to other tasks for an indefinite period, the time to shed light on what happened. He is not suspended or sanctioned, but he is no longer participating in investigations for the moment.
As for Lieutenant Lacoursière, who was loaned to UPAC by the Sûreté du Québec, he was returned to his original police force for the moment.
The UPAC commissioner, Frédérick Gaudreau, “takes the judgment very seriously” and is now studying the best way to follow it up, according to the spokesperson.
Last week, the DPCP defended the work of crown prosecutors in this case and said it was studying the possibility of appealing the judgment.
“In the light of a preliminary analysis of the judgment […] the factual findings made by trial judge McKenna do not appear to us to be based on the evidence presented ”, had told Press Me Patricia Johnson, deputy spokesperson for the DPCP.
Let the process take its course
As prosecutors still have several weeks to appeal the case, Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said she did not want to go too far on Thursday. She encouraged MP Ouellette to let the process take its course.
Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette agreed. “I understand his desire for answers related to this, but it cannot substitute for the legal process,” he said.