Jonathan Bettez’s family lawyer wanted to question the lead investigator assigned to file the murder of Céehake Provencher. Dominic Forget could handle the information in emails from Sûreté du Québec police officers. These messages could not have been archived and may contain important elements.
At least one investigator has confirmed that emails related to the investigation were eventually deletedwe read in the documents obtained by Radio-Canada.
Investigations prior to the civil case filed by the Bettez family against the provincial police force revealed that the former leader of the Sûreté du Québec group (SQ), Michel Perron, did not archive or put emails about the murder of Céehake Provencher in the investigation file.
Mr. Perron investigated both the disappearance and the murder of Céosedur Provencher. He is also a team leader in the child pornography case.
Jonathan Bettez faces 10 counts of possession, distribution and access of child pornography.
The work of the police was criticized by the court, which they called abusive of their actions and revoked their search warrants. Jonathan Bettez was acquitted in all such cases.
Considered one of the suspects at the time of Céehake Provencher’s kidnapping, Trifluvien believes police ruined his life and career. He is asking for $ 10 million. The contractor has never been charged with anything related to this case.
In my case the emails weren’t just archivedreasoning by Michel Perron in an excerpt of stenographic notes from October 19, 2021.
Quite simply, emails, I don’t remember putting any email exchange inside the folder itselfhe testified.
Emails, what has happened since then, have you deleted or …?M. asked.at Jessy Héroux, attorney representing the Bettez family.
Obviously yesMichel Perron replied.
Copies of the emails may have been saved on the Sûreté du Québec server. But as often happens, backup copies are overwritten after a while.
Céehake Provencher was reported missing in July 2007. Her bones were found in December 2015. It is not known how long the backup copies were stored.
Mat Jessy Héroux asked the judge to allow her to question investigator Dominic Forget.
Objections
For their part, the prosecutors of the Sûreté du Québec want the judge to encompass the scope of the Forget investigator’s interrogation. Police lawyers and the Attorney General of Quebec want to ensure the confidentiality of certain elements.
In addition, they object to certain specific questions relating to other suspects or persons interested in the Céehake Provencher case. Prosecutors don’t want it to be a question of police measures taken against these people.
The Attorney General of Quebec will argue with the judge that the investigation is still ongoing, that police techniques should not be disclosed and that the disclosure of wiretap collected during the investigation violates the right to private life.
These objections are likely to cause debate between the parties.
There is no trial before 2023
After two adjournments requested by the lawyers of both parties, delays continue to accumulate in this complex file.
Among the steps delayed, Mat Jessy Héroux mentioned submitting staffing and operational plans for SQ on August 29 and 30, 2016, dates the arrest of Jonathan Bettez and the searches at Emballages Bettez, the company he managed.
Plans were requested on October 19, 2021. The operational plan was received after six months. As for the staffing plan, Me Héroux is still waiting for it.
Both parties are awaiting the appointment of a judge in the case to arrange the next steps.
Source: Radio-Canada
