Plante blasts opposition for politicizing tragedy
Mayor accuses opposition of politicizing disappearance of Ariel Kouakou, 10
Mayor Valérie Plante lashed out at the municipal opposition for asking why she has not defended the police investigation into 10-yearold Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou, who disappeared in Rivière-des-Prairies two weeks ago.
“Is it normal that the municipal administration has not spoken out, has not publicly defended its police force and especially reassured Montrealers?” Ensemble Montreal councillor Francesco Miele asked Plante during Tuesday’s question period.
Questions have been raised about the police investigation since Sunday night, when Monic Néron, a crime reporter for radio station 98.5 FM, said on the Radio-Canada TV show Tout le monde en parle that police waited almost a day after Ariel went missing before launching a full-scale search.
“Mr. Miele, I find your question downright unacceptable,” an emotional Plante said.
“Do not judge my work,” she added. “I just have a different way of working than my predecessor.”
Plante accused the opposition of politicizing the tragic disappearance and trying to intimidate her.
It was an unusual flash of anger from the normally upbeat mayor.
Plante said she has full confidence in the police and that investigators and volunteers are doing everything possible to shed light on the little boy’s disappearance.
Miele, the assistant opposition leader, defended his question, saying he was in no way criticizing Plante’s actions or politicizing the case. But Plante repeated the accusation.
“In fact, that’s exactly what you are doing, Mr. Miele. This case is sad for everyone and it is not the time to bad-mouth those who are working on the ground, the SPVM and volunteers,” she said.
In an interview Tuesday, SPVM Inspector Ian Lafrenière defended the force’s work and said it will reevaluate the steps it took once the investigation is complete.
“I’m not in a position today to tell you everything was done perfectly,” Lafrenière said. “But right now, let us do the investigation. We’ll question everything we did. But not now. Not in the middle of the investigation.”
Lafrenière said the questioning and criticism has already led to lost time, with investigators being pulled off the job to go over their notes instead.
“When the investigation is finished, then we can be judged on what we’ve done — and that’s OK, normal and what we want. We’re a public body and we should answer to our actions,” he said. “But can we start by doing our investigation and answering what’s most important? That’s finding Ariel and what happened to him.”
After the council meeting, Plante refused to be interviewed, referring questions to Nathalie Goulet, member of the executive committee responsible for public security.
Goulet defended Plante’s reaction in council and reaffirmed the administration’s confidence in police.
“I think the mayor was right to say that it’s an extremely sensitive subject, that the search for little Ariel Kouakou is continuing and that we absolutely have to avoid politicizing this issue,” Goulet said.
Asked why the mayor has not defended police from criticism, she said: “We did not think it was good to make a statement at that point because the confidence is there.”
Goulet said she has met with the family, police and volunteers repeatedly over the past weeks and could confirm that “absolutely everything that has been humanly and professionally possible on the part of the SPVM has been put in place currently to find the little boy.”
Opposition leader Lionel Perez called Plante’s reaction “totally unacceptable.”
“The question of Mr. Miele was very simple and straightforward,” he said.
“She accused us of politicizing this issue. She accused us of intimidation. She’s the one who’s politicizing the issue by not responding,” he said.
“We think that she should have reaffirmed (her confidence in police) immediately after Sunday night and she should reassure the public,” Perez said.
Montreal police suspect Ariel drowned in Rivière des Prairies two weeks ago, but police officers and volunteers are continuing the search of the shoreline and in strip malls and behind buildings in Montreal’s Ahuntsic-Cartierville neighbourhood.
Ariel disappeared on March 12 after walking to a friend’s home. A woman, whom police described as a credible witness, spoke to the boy in Parc des Bateliers on the day he went missing.
Last week, Montreal police said they were convinced Ariel headed to the park after realizing his friend wasn’t home, and that he drowned in Rivière des Prairies after getting too close to the snowcovered waterfront.
Ariel’s father, Kouadio Frédéric Kouakou, has repeatedly said he believes his son was abducted because he’s certain Ariel would not have gone close to the river by himself.
Police divers searched the river again on Tuesday, Lafrenière said, but the water’s poor visibility is making things difficult.
The search will continue Wednesday.
“We’re re-evaluating every hour,” Lafrenière said. “Every day we’re trying something. But we’re going against mother nature: a large river with a strong current that’s covered in ice. It’s trial and error. Touch and go.”
Anyone with information about Ariel is urged to call 911 or InfoCrime at 514-393-1133. He stands 4-foot-7 and weighs about 90 pounds. When last seen he was wearing a black hooded coat, grey pants and yellow shoes.