News that a 10-day preliminary hearing into the fraud allegations against Father Amer Saka’s has been under way for over a week and will wrap up this Friday 30 March 2018:
27 March 2018: Preliminary hearing in priest’s fraud case continues
The court dates are as follows:
19-30 March 2018: 10-day Preliminary Hearing, London Ontario courthouse ( 80 Dundas St.)
Because it is a preliminary hearing there is a publication ban on all evidence and testimony. Media and the general public can attend, but there can be no reporting on the evidence or testimony. At the end of the process the judge will determine either immediately or at a date to set if he/she believes there is sufficient evidence to go to trial.
You may recall that Father Saka, a priest with Chaldean Catholic Church in Canada, was participating in the Canadian government’s refugee-sponsorship program through the Hamilton Roman Catholic Diocese.
After a complaint to law enforcement regarding refugee funds which were allegedly gambled away by Father Saka, a police investigation was conducted in Ontario, the United States and other countries where refugees were attempting to come to Canada. On 13 July 2016 Father Saka was charged with fraud over $5,000 and possessing proceeds of property or thing exceeding $5,000. Police will say only that the total sum of money ‘lost’ was in excess of $500,000.
*****
A correction on the up-coming court-date for previously convicted Viatorian priest Father Ronald Leger csv. Leger, a former student and professor at the now defunct Cornwall Classical College, was ordered to stand trial, however, contrary to information relayed to me yesterday a trial date has NOT been set. The 09 May 2018 court-date stands, but that is for Assignment Court. There is a good chance that there will be a trial date set on the 9th, but, at this time, there is NO trial date. As it stands, this is the info:
09 May 2018: 09:30 am, Assignment Court, Provincial Court of Queen’s Bench , Winnipeg Provincial courthouse (Main Floor, 408 York Ave.)
I don’t know what’s happening. It seems that it is becoming increasingly difficult to get accurate information regarding court dates. I was told by a clerk yesterday that 09 May was for trial. When I asked how many days the court-room is booked for (ie length of trial) she didn’t know. When I asked who could provide that information, she suggested I call another department. I called, reached an answering machine, got on a loop, managed to break out of the loop, reached another answering machine and left a message. Today was a call back, and news from a very pleasant clerk that 09 May is NOT a trial date.
Is there new software in use in a whole lot of courthouses? Is that what’s happening? Is it the software which is being used?
That’s the only thing I can think of which makes any sense. Once upon a time courthouse staff had all of the information right in front of them and could readily answer questions related to court-dates. In some courthouses, that no longer seems to be the case.
Whatever is happening, for me personally it is becoming a cause for concern.
*****
A few more articles have been posted:
(1) regarding Belgian born Oblates Fathers Alexia Joveneau and Joannes Rivoire:
26 March 2018: “Sexual abuse: Canada called to extradite Father Rivoire” & original French text
27 March 2018: “Father Joveneau organized forced marriages between Innu” & original French text
(2) Murder of Ex priest
26 March 2018: “Dino Cinel, disgraced ex-Catholic priest, found murdered in Colombia” & related article
(3) The Caridnal Pell preliminary hearing
27 March 2018: “ABC Journalist challenged on Pell book in committal hearing” & related articles
Enough for now,
Sylvia