Offrir une compensation à un témoin, qu'elle quelle soit, dans l'objectif de le convaincre de ne pas rendre témoignage dans une procédure judiciaire équivaut à de l'entrave à la justice

R. v. Kotch, 1990 ABCA 348

Lien vers la décision

[13]                       Any attempt to pay compensation, in any form, to a witness that has as its purpose a direct tendency to influence the witness not to give evidence in a judicial proceeding - irrespective of the motive for doing so, is a corrupt attempt to obstruct justice. So concluded Salhany, Co. Ct. J. in R. v. Targon (1981) 1981 CanLII 3326 (ON SC), 61 C.C.C. (2d) 554. I see no distinction arising from the fact that the person who is approached may not be a witness or potential witness, like Burton, in the traditional sense, if, as here, he is the complainant or the perceived voice of the complainant and is seen as the one who commands the prosecution. The object is the same in either case; the frustration of a lawful prosecution by oblique means.