The circle of relatives of a Calgary woman arrested in the Dominican Republic seven months ago says they are thrilled to learn that their ordeal is still coming to an end.
Prosecutors at the Punta Cana hotel filed court documents Friday that would allow the Pivot Airlines team and its passengers to leave the country after spending seven months in prison and space arrest, Pivot Airlines Chief Executive Eric Edmondson said Friday.
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The Canadians, along with Brittney Wojcik-Harrison of Calgary, were arrested despite airline workers reporting bags of what turned out to be cocaine hidden on the plane. drugs
A de Pivot was referring to its employees, but prosecutors’ ruling also applies to the seven passengers, Edmondson said.
“We are deeply relieved that those five Canadians will soon be returning home to their families and enjoyed them,” he said in the statement, referring to the flight attendant. “We are grateful for their courage, resilience and honesty in this devastating ordeal. “they return to Canada, they will return as heroes, as they deserve.
Brandon Harrison, Wojcik-Harrison’s cousin, broke down upon hearing the news.
“I’m absolutely shocked with emotion,” Brandon said.
He said his cousin had endured a ordeal while detained with other passengers in one of the country’s prisons.
“It will have to be a scary thing to be literally stuck in a foreign country,” he said. “The government comes and takes your passport, identity cards, all your belongings and leaves you. “
Brandon said he was disappointed by the Canadian government’s actions. He thinks this may have put more pressure on the Dominican government.
He said the prosecutor missed a hearing date, delaying the case for an entire month. At the appointment for the hearing, a translator did not show up, which delayed the timing of the case.
Wojcik-Harrison’s aunt, Karen Harrison, echoed those views.
“It was despicable,” he said. They’ve been at it from the beginning and demanded to see the evidence that should be there. “
She said the prosecution was delayed for several months because of a video showing a member of the airport floor crew hitting duffel bags on the plane in the middle of the night.
Judge Francis Yojary Reyes Dilone eventually released the Canadians on bail, saying there was no evidence that most workers and passengers had access to the hideout, and that there was no evidence linking any of them to drugs.
“Obviously, the crew members and passengers were in a hotel,” Karen said. “They’ve been sitting on this for months. “
She is disappointed and that the government did not interfere before.
“Obviously, those were trumped-up charges, and between the Canadian government and the Canadian embassy, we didn’t care,” he said.
Conservative Senator David Wells, one of the few MPs to defend the detained Canadians, said he was relieved by the news but dismayed that the federal government had done relatively little to secure their release.
“They’re usually diplomatic niceties,” he said. Sometimes when it comes to countries like the Dominican Republic that have suspicious justice systems, you have to play a more powerful role. “
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the plight of Canadians with Dominican President Luis Abinader earlier this year, as did Foreign Minister Melanie Joly with her counterpart. In response to a query from Wells last month, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra warned that the Dominican Republic risked sending a message to the world that it’s not for advertising teams to fly there.
Karen said her niece could be officially released on Monday, as soon as a judgment is made on the symptoms of the documents.
“Then they will lift all travel bans, give them their passports without the passport restrictions and we will be able to take them home,” he said.
Brandon said he has plans for his cousin’s return to Canadian soil.
“I’m going to ruin yours,” he said. Take her to dinner and have a drink. He has been through a lot and just wants to be at home with his circle of family and friends, and after all relax and feel good.
brthomas@postmedia. com Twitter @brodie_thomas
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