Kuujjuaq court decides cases

IQALUIT — Last week Quebec court held a special session for cases expected to go to trial. Following the preliminary hearing into the death of Johnny Angnatuk, Quebec court judge Laurent Bonin determined there is enough evidence to pursue a charge of second-degree murder against Bobby Angnatuk, 25, and Gary Makiuk, 21.

The two were charged with murder following the violent beating and death of Angnatuk in January.

The date for their trial will be set on August 8 in Kuujjuaq.

Martha Annanack, 35, a translator at Kuujjuaq’s Tulattavik Hospital and a local union activist, also appeared before the court. She is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Thomas Suppa Angnatuk. The preliminary inquiry into the charge will be heard in August.

A settlement was reached in one case when Lucassie Adams, 20, entered a guilty plea to charges of break-and-entering and aggravated sexual assault in connection with an incident in January.

In detention since January, Adams received an additional 17 months sentence. His total sentence is considered as two years because the three and a half months he spent in preventive custody counts as seven months.