Cannabis cuttings are photographed at the CannTrust Niagara Greenhouse Facility during the grand opening event in Fenwick, Ont., on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
TORONTO – Lawyers for three former cannabis leaders charged with offences linked to unlicensed growing are expected to continue seeking an acquittal for their clients in court today.
The lawyers’ request was first made Wednesday, when the Ontario Securities Commission revealed it no longer had a reasonable prospect of conviction against Peter Aceto, Eric Paul and Mark Litwin.
An OSC lawyer asked the court Wednesday to adjourn the matter until Thursday, so he could review case law Litwin’s lawyer said would support the case being wound up.
Former CannTrust Holdings Inc. chief executive Aceto, former chairman Paul and former vice-chairman Litwin pleaded not guilty earlier this year to several offences related to unlicensed growing at a Niagara-area facility owned by the pot company.
They were each charged with fraud and authorizing, permitting or acquiescing in the commission of an offence.
Litwin and Paul were also facing insider trading charges, and Litwin and Aceto were charged with making a false prospectus and false preliminary prospectus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2022.