Confirming Arthur Porter's death in Panama on hold for forensic tests
Friends and family reported former McGill University Health Centre CEO died last week
The positive identification of the body of suspected fraudster Arthur Porter will have to wait until at least Tuesday.
Anne-Frédérick Laurence, a spokeswoman for Quebec's anti-corruption unit, UPAC, said investigators were allowed access to a Panama City morgue today but were informed they would only be able to view the body.
Laurence said they will only be able to take fingerprints and perform other forensic tests tomorrow.
"Visual identification is not enough," she said.
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Porter, the former CEO of the McGill University Health Centre, was charged with fraud and money-laundering in connection with the contract to build the health centre's new superhospital.
Family and friends reported he died in custody in Panama last week, where he was fighting extradition, but the news has been treated with skepticism by Quebec authorities.
As a result, UPAC sent two investigators to the country to confirm his death.
Laurence said no formal request to repatriate Porter's remains will be made until the identification is complete.
Porter also formerly served on the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the oversight body for Canada's spy agency, CSIS.
He was named to the committee by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2008 and later elevated to chairperson before resigning in December 2011.
with files from Canadian Press