OTTAWA – Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich will remain in custody following a decision by Justice of the Peace Paul Harris on Friday in an Ottawa courtroom.
Lich will now remain in custody as she awaits her trial on criminal charges related to the Ottawa protest.
Justice of the Peace Harris stated that Lich’s defence attorney had failed to prove she could be trusted not to re-offend after she was charged last week for breaching her bail conditions.
Harris stated, “Ms. Lich has chosen to exercise her freedom.”
Lich was cited for a violation of her bail conditions when she was pictured at an event with one of the individuals she was ordered not to be in contact with.
Harris states in his ruling that the defence presented no evidence that Lich’s legal counsel were present at the table or in the video. Harris added that it was “absolutely ridiculous” to think the condition could be excepted only by having lawyers at the same event.
Harris added, “To add even more fuel to fire, Ms. Lich choose to pose arm-in-arm with Mr. Marazzo. One would find this puzzling.”
Harris also talked about new evidence presented by the Crown extracted from a text message between her and convoy organizer Chris Barber, with whom she is co-accused of intimidation and obstruction of a peace officer, among other offences.
Harris says that these text messages were “inculpatory” of Lich’s role as a convoy organizer.
