Former SNC Lavalin CEO pleads not guilty

Pierre Duhaime, the former CEO of scandal-hit Canadian contractor SNC Lavalin, has pleaded not guilty after being formerly charged with fraud at a hearing in Quebec.

Mr Duhaime resigned as CEO of the contractor in March last year and was arrested in Canada in November following accusations of corruption during the bidding process for a Canadian hospital contract, as well as revelations that he signed-off on a series of suspect payments in Libya.

Mr Duhaime’s co-accused, former SNC-Lavalin executive Riahd Ben Aissa, is still in jail in Switzerland after being arrested in April on allegations of corruption, bribery and money laundering in North Africa. An extradition request has been lodged to bring him back to Canada for trial.

Facing charges of fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and issuing false documents, Mr Duhaime must stay within Canada’s borders until the case is concluded.

More evidence is scheduled to be heard on 23 May this year.