Nunavut woman accused of second-degree murder denied bail

The Nunavut Court of Justice denied bail July 31, at least for now, to an Igloolik woman charged with second-degree murder in connection with the 2013 death of her partner.

Farrah Siakuluk, 32, appeared before Justice Earl Johnson in an Iqaluit courtroom July 31 for a bail hearing on two charges: second-degree murder and failing to comply with a court undertaking.

According to court documents, police arrested Siakuluk after the death of Manasie Qamaniq on June 29, 2013.

The court had already granted Siakuluk’s release from custody under certain conditions, including that she reside at the Apex women’s shelter and abide by their policies, Johnson said in court.

But on Oct. 31, 2014, Siakuluk failed to return to the shelter by a curfew time, and police arrested her the next day, Johnson said.

In failing to comply with the court undertaking, Siakuluk’s surety lost a $1,000 deposit, the court heard, and Siakuluk has been held in custody at the Nunavut Women’s Correctional Centre in Iqaluit since Nov. 1, 2014.

Siakuluk’s lawyer, Tamara Fairchild, recommended to Johnson that Siakuluk be released on her own surety, without a deposit, and that she check in with the RCMP four times a week.

But Crown prosecutor Barry McLaren argued those proposed conditions of her release are less strict than the conditions she was previously released on.

And that harms the public’s perception of the justice system, McLaren said.

Johnson refused to grant Siakuluk’s release, but told Fairchild if her client can come up with a deposit, or find another surety, that he may reconsider his decision.

No future court date was set to revisit the issue, however her trial is scheduled to begin in Iqaluit in November.

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