Path remains murky for Meng Wanzhou’s marathon extradition battle, after HSBC evidence triggers delays
- Discussions about revamping the schedule for the Huawei executive’s case have been adjourned for another nine days as lawyers grapple with the delays
- Arguments are on hold for three months, to give lawyers time to examine new evidence from HSBC bank in Hong Kong, that Meng hopes will bolster her case
Lawyers for Meng and the Canadian government met briefly to discuss how to revamp the schedule of the case in the Supreme Court of British Columbia on Wednesday, but the matter was adjourned until May 7, a court spokesman said.
The final stage of the case had been due to start this week, but instead the promise of new evidence from HSBC bank in Hong Kong triggered an eleventh-hour delay, with Meng granted an application to postpone until August 3 the final three weeks of arguments in the case, as she tries to avoid being sent to face trial in the US.
The delay was approved by Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes last Wednesday to give Meng’s lawyers time to go through the new evidence, which they believe will bolster her argument that US authorities misled the Canadian court about its fraud case against her.
Wednesday’s hearing appeared to have gone unattended by reporters after it was moved from its regular courtroom, then omitted from the daily court lists. The hearing was over in less than 15 minutes, before reporters and at least one person who identified themselves as one of Meng’s lawyers managed to dial in to listen on a phone line.
A spokesman for Huawei said the adjournment had been sought by Meng’s lawyers, whose review of the HSBC material was already under way.