Cape Dorset couple charged following stabbing of power plant worker

A man and a woman face a variety of charges after a Qulliq Energy Corp. employee was attacked and stabbed at the power plant in Cape Dorset Jan. 8.

Paul Qaumagiaq is recovering from stab wounds at the Qikiqtani General Hospital after being medevaced to Iqaluit.

“This person received non-life threatening injuries and was medevaced to Iqaluit for medical attention,” Supt. Hilton Smee, criminal operations officer for “V” division, said at a news conference Jan. 10.

Kooyoo Peter, 46 and Kumaarjuk Pii, 51, have been charged with aggravated assault, carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an unlawful offense, which was a knife, and carrying a weapon with the purpose of committing an unlawful offense, which was a hammer.

The two are also charged with breaking into a place, stealing a firearm, possession of property under $5,000, and storing a firearm in a careless manner without lawful excuse.

Peter is currently being held in custody in Cape Dorset, but will relocate to Iqaluit for a show-cause hearing Feb. 5.

Pii has been released and is set to appear in court in Cape Dorset Feb. 4.

A source in Cape Dorset, who does not wish to be identified, told Nunatsiaq News that a man there was attacked after the power corporation had cut off someone’s power.

On the day of the attack, the QEC issued a public notice saying that if customers get behind on their bills, the corporation may install a load limiter in the winter or disconnect power in the warmer months.

These decisions are not made by local QEC staff, the corporation said.

“Any power disconnects or installations of load limiters are done at the discretion of QEC management and our customer service team.

“Local plant operators or staff completing the actual work have no authority to delay power disconnection or the installations or removal of load limiters,” the QEC said.