By Canadian Press

Canadian man to remain in Dubai prison after appeal partially rejected

Dec 24, 2019 | 9:10 AM

MONTREAL — A Canadian geologist jailed in Dubai on fraud charges he claims are dubious will remain in prison after a judge rejected his appeal on a technicality, according to the man’s son.

Alexis Gauthier says his father Andre has been detained off and on in the Middle East since December 2015 and is appealing his eight-year prison sentence for 73 counts of fraud.

The Gauthier family says Andre was a whistleblower who had alerted authorities in the United Arab Emirates to irregular dealings in a gold-trading company.

But instead of being thanked for his troubles, he was arrested and charged with committing the very fraud he uncovered.

Alexis said today the Dubai judge found his father not guilty on 11 charges, but due to the fact that his lawyer didn’t appeal the remaining 62 charges within the proper time period, Gauthier will remain in jail.

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Alexis says he doesn’t understand how his father’s lawyer could be that incompetent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first reported on Dec. 24, 2019.

The Canadian Press