Sex assault charges stayed against Nunavut MLA Kusugak
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 | 1:26 PM CT
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Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove Lorne Kusugak is currently minister of community and government services as well as energy minister. (CBC)Charges were stayed Wednesday against Lorne Kusugak, a Nunavut MLA and cabinet minister who was accused of sexual assault last summer.
Kusugak, the MLA for Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove, appeared before the Nunavut Court of Justice in the community Wednesday morning for a preliminary inquiry.
But at that point, the Crown announced a stay in the charges — one count of sexual assault and one count of attempting by any means to choke, strangle or suffocate a person.
The charges were laid in August against Kusugak, then mayor of Rankin Inlet, before he ran for territorial politics that fall.
Staying the charges means they are inactive unless the Crown revives them within the next year. If the case is not reactivated within the year, the charges are dropped altogether.
Both Kusugak and his lawyer, Patrick Cashman, on Wednesday refused to comment.
Crown prosecutor Barry McLaren said his office has reviewed the case and made the decision to stay the charges.
As well as being MLA for Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove, Kusugak is also minister of community and government services and minister of energy.
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