Testifying Witness Recalls Abduction Trauma at Pearson Gold Heist Trial
Ma’am, I couldn’t sleep last night.… I had night terrors,
Arsalan Chaudhary told the court, as reported by CBC. A key witness in the Toronto Pearson International Airport gold heist trial testified Tuesday that recalling his alleged abduction in Pakistan is leaving him traumatized and unable to properly remember details on the stand.
Chaudhary is testifying in the Brampton, Ontario, trial of Parmpal Sidhu, a former Air Canada employee who has pleaded not guilty to charges of theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. According to cp24.com, Chaudhary was sentenced this spring to four years in prison after pleading guilty to theft over $5,000, receiving a 40-year term to pay back $22 million in restitution. Prosecutors allege that Sidhu provided a doctored waybill that allowed an accomplice to pick up more than $22 million in gold and currency from a cargo bay at the airport on April 17, 2023.
Jail Conditions and Medical Concerns Interrupt Brampton Court Proceedings
The trial faced multiple interruptions on Tuesday as Chaudhary struggled to answer questions from Crown prosecutor Vlacic, leading to his escort from the courtroom twice for breaks. Chaudhary told the court that he had been transferred about three weeks prior from Collins Bay Institution near Kingston, Ontario, to the Maplehurst Correctional Complex, a provincial jail, ahead of his court appearance. He stated that he has been living with three people in a cell near a toilet and has not received prescribed medications, including melatonin and vitamins. I’ve asked for it. So, I’m not in the right state of mind to remember stuff you’re asking me,
Chaudhary said, according to CBC coverage of the proceedings.
When asked what conditions would help him testify, Chaudhary suggested that being transferred back to a federal prison and appearing via video link—or being brought to the Brampton court strictly on the day of his testimony—would improve his state of mind. Judge Cudjoe noted the need to keep the trial moving forward despite the disruptions, remarking that the world is watching,
as reported by CBC.
Stash and Kidnapping Details Revealed in Courtroom Testimony
Testifying as the star witness, Chaudhary detailed how he and another unidentified man planned the 2023 heist, with Chaudhary taking 30 percent of the stolen boxes filled with one-ounce gold bars. Following the division of the stolen gold and cash worth more than $22 million, Chaudhary stated that he left for Pakistan. Once there, he was taken hostage, tortured, and threatened with death by individuals who knew he possessed the stolen fortune, ultimately forcing him to reveal the location of his Toronto stash. Peel Regional Police previously established that 6,600 gold bars weighing more than 400 kilograms were stolen from the airport after arriving on a flight from Switzerland.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Pearson Gold Heist Witness Testimony
Why is Arsalan Chaudhary testifying at the trial?
Chaudhary is testifying as a convicted co-conspirator in the trial of Parmpal Sidhu, a former Air Canada employee accused of helping facilitate the theft. Chaudhary previously pleaded guilty to theft over $5,000 and received a four-year prison sentence.
What specific security breach allowed the gold to be stolen from Toronto Pearson?
Prosecutors allege that Parmpal Sidhu, working as an Air Canada employee at the time, provided a doctored waybill that permitted an unauthorized person to collect the shipment of gold and currency from the airport cargo bay on April 17, 2023.
Where was Chaudhary held before his court appearance, and what did he report about his treatment?
Chaudhary was transferred from the Collins Bay Institution federal penitentiary to the provincial Maplehurst Correctional Complex about three weeks prior to the trial. He told the court he was housed with three people in a cell near a toilet and was denied prescribed medications such as melatonin and vitamins.
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