The federal director of public prosecution has ordered the court to reject SNC-Lavalin’s plea to avoid criminal proceedings.

The decision comes in the midst of an ensuing political and judicial scandal that involves the highest levels of the Prime Minister’s Office.

The engineering and construction company is facing corruption and fraud charges based on bribery dealings with the former Libyan government of Muammar Gaddafi.

Since landing themselves in hot water, SNC-Lavalin has been trying to negotiate a remediation agreement which would allow the company to avoid criminal charges if certain fines and conditions were met.

The possibility for remediation was a measure introduced by the Liberal government only last year.

Earlier this week it was discovered that lobbyists from the company met with federal officials in over 50 occasions where they discussed the topics of “justice”.

A Globe and Mail report released earlier this week suggested that members of the Prime Minister’s Office attempted to pressure the former Attorney General Jody-Wilson Raybould to intervene in the company’s case.

The Prime Minister has since denied the allegations.