The last of the cases involving those accused of Treaty Land Entitlement fraud on Mosquito First Nation has resulted in a conviction.
Former TLE trustee Gerald Arthur Bird was convicted Monday of criminal breach of trust following his trial in Queen's Bench court in Saskatoon.
He was also found guilty on the counts of stealing money exceeding $5,000 and of defrauding Mosquito in excess of $5,000.
A judicial stay has been filed on the latter two counts, however, which means Bird will be sentenced only on the breach of trust count.
As well, Bird was found not guilty on two other counts - one of falsifying documents and one of forging documents.
The decision came in a 58-page written ruling from Justice Brian Scherman Monday.
Bird was one of five people charged. Three others - Alphonse Moosomin, Eldon Starchief and former chief Clarence Stone - all entered guilty pleas. Moosomin and Starchief plead guilty to criminal breach of trust and served 12-month jail terms while Stone pled guilty to fraud over $5,000 and served a conditional sentence. A fifth accused, Clifford Spyglass, died while his case was still before the courts.
Bird's case was the last of the five still before the courts, and was the only one of the five to proceed to a full trial, which took place in Saskatoon during July.
He had been accused of defrauding the band of money set aside for the Treaty Land Entitlement fund during the early part of last decade. The money was supposed to be used to purchase land to make up the band's shortfall acres, but was spent on other items instead.
The date of sentencing for Bird has been set for Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. Submissions are to be heard once again in Queen's Bench court in Saskatoon.
