Two officers of the Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC) were relieved of their operational duties following a stay of proceedings from which the former mayor of Terrebonne Jean-Marc Robitaille was able to benefit.
The commissioner associated with the investigations of the UPAC, Sylvain Baillargeon, and Lieutenant Janik Lacoursière were assigned to administrative tasks, confirmed the spokesperson of the police force, Mathieu Galarneau.
For this reason, Mr. Lacoursière, an officer of the Sûreté du Québec, returned to his original organization, said the spokesperson.
Mr. Galarneau explained that these indefinite measures were taken as a precaution, following a decision of the Court of Quebec, in mid-October.
Judge Nancy McKenna ordered a stay of proceedings in favor of Mr. Robitaille and three co-defendants in a case of alleged corruption and breach of trust in the City of Terrebonne.
Work severely criticized
In her decision, the magistrate severely criticized the work of UPAC investigators. Justice McKenna wrote that “the evidence clearly shows that the police are prepared to lie under oath.”
Mathieu Galarneau explained that the UPAC decision follows the judgment. “Mr. Baillargeon was transferred to administrative tasks in the days following the knowledge of the judgment and this for an indefinite period and the head of the intelligence service Janik Lacoursière also”, he said.
Mr. Galarneau explained that this decision is also dependent on a possible appeal from the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions in this case.
The anti-corruption commissioner, Frédérick Gaudreau, will present his annual report next week. He will give more details on this occasion, assured his spokesperson.
“Commissioner Gaudreau takes this seriously to ensure the integrity of his whistleblower process,” said Mr. Gaudreau.