Fort Resolution (Aug 04/03) - A charge against the new leader of the Dene Nation has been diverted out of Territorial Court.

The Fort Resolution Community Justice Panel, a group of elders, will now consider the causing a disturbance charge involving Noeline Villebrun.

Cpl. Sylvain Lemoyne of the Fort Resolution RCMP detachment says the decision to divert the charge was agreed upon by the local police and the Crown attorney.

The decision was announced in territorial court in Fort Resolution on July 28. No plea was entered on the charge.

Territorial court will be updated Sept. 8 on the elders' decision in the case.

That would then be the end of the matter, Lemoyne explains. Whatever the elders decide, it will not mean a criminal record.

Villebrun was charged following an alleged incident at Deninu School on May 27. Lemoyne would not discuss the details of the allegation.

However, a causing a disturbance charge usually involves insulting, shouting or screaming in a public place.

Villebrun was elected leader of the Dene Nation at its annual assembly in Aklavik on July 4. When they became aware of the charge the next day, delegates spent five hours in-camera to discuss the issue.

Attempts to contact Villebrun over the weekend for comment were unsuccessful.