Bali Police Public Relations Chief, Police Commissioner Stefanus Satake Bayu Setianto in Denpasar, said on Thursday that the process of handing over Canadian Interpol fugitive Stephane Gagnon (SG) was carried out this evening because his 20-day detention period had expired and could not be extended.
“Today we are carrying out activities to free Canadian citizens who have been detained for 20 days at the airport to be carried out overhanging to Immigration. “Later, Immigration will coordinate with Interpol Australia to refer the matter to Interpol Canada because we do not have a cooperative relationship with Canada regarding extradition, so the extradition will go through Australia,” he said.
Satake explained that SG would be escorted by two members of the National Police International Relations Division and one member of the Bali Police to travel to Australia. After the topic red notice handed over to Interpol Australia, then Interpol Australia handed it over to Interpol Canada.
However, prior to the immigration surrender process, SG refused to be released from Bali Police custody because he believed that this action was not in accordance with applicable legal procedures, given that his lawyer had filed a pre-trial complaint regarding the arrest and reporting of the alleged extortion by members of the National Police.
“The person concerned (objects) to the activities of Immigration because he is extradited here, why is he deported, even if it is just a system. But, after we suggested it, already the data collection activities at Immigration are taking place at the airport, we release the detainees using the extradition system,” Satake said.
Also read: Bali police arrest Canadian citizen, Interpol fugitive, involved in fraud case
He explained that the extradition process of SG was based on a request from the Canadian government and was carried out in accordance with applicable standard operating procedures.
However, the steps proposed by SG’s lawyer in filing a pre-trial file are still ongoing, including the denunciation of extortion allegedly carried out by police officers from the National Police Prefecture.
“It’s still a process, it’s still a process. There are no problems, everything that has been reported is related to extortion, the pretrial proposed by the lawyer is also being processed. We just have to wait for the court on this matter,” he said.
Before being taken to immigration, SG argued with the officer who had taken him and refused to sign the ticket.
Also read: Bali police assure members not involved in allegations of extortion of Canadian citizens
Head of Sub-Directorate IV, General Criminal Investigation Directorate, Bali Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ni Luh Kompyang Srinadi explained that the tensions arose because SG refused to be handed over to immigration.
However, Bali Police continued to hand over the man to immigration because his detention period at Bali Police had expired.
“Previously, the person concerned refused. We released the detainee because the detention period expired today and we had time to process him at Immigration, so he refused, he was not cooperative. So we made a report on the refusal. He did it twice. I did not want to, we immediately took him away,” Kompyang said.
He said SG was adamant that the process was strange as he was extradited but was later deported from Indonesia.
“He requested the administration of overhanging of Immigration, everything is finished. In fact, immigration requires relevant data for the administration of the implementation overhanging and deportation. So that’s where he didn’t want to be,” he said.
Also read: Immigration confiscates passport of Canadian foreigner for making immoral videos
Meanwhile, Maruli Harahap, as Stéphane Gagnon’s lawyer, said he would continue to oversee the legal process against his client even though SG had been deported from Indonesia.
“We will continue to provide assistance to SG, defending his rights in accordance with human rights. Later, we will first talk with the team, whether the lawyer will accompany him to Canada or what,” Maruli said.
Also read: Immigration suspects Canadian citizen’s motive for making immoral videos on Mount Batur
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