Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Friday, December 19, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Attorneys for the Crown and NWT Power Corporation are working toward a resolution of a charge under the Fisheries Act outside of court, Crown prosecutor John Cliffe said Tuesday.

"Counsel are moving towards resolving the matter," said Cliffe.

He also said there has been information that is still being received from the defence. Judge Robert Gorin adjourned the case to Jan. 23 as Cliffe requested.

The power corporation is accused of depositing sediment in water frequented by fish in 2006.

Another adjournment was granted in the appeal of a case concerning a Fisheries Act violation which ruled fishing nets were not fishing gear.

In Supreme Court on Tuesday, Brent Beck was given more time to find a lawyer after he said he had only recently raised enough money for legal representation.

Crown prosecutor Christine Gagnon did not object to the adjournment.

The matter was set for Jan. 16.

"You and your lawyer or you without a lawyer should be prepared to proceed," said Justice John Vertes.

In December 2007 Judge Brian Bruser ruled Beck could not be found guilty under the Fisheries Act for setting unmarked fishing gear.

He ruled fishing nets were a "fishing apparatus" and therefore were not gear.

Man arrested in 'Project Germane' appears in court

One of three men arrested on Nov. 24 during an RCMP drug bust known as "Project Germane" appeared in Yellowknife Territorial Court on Tuesday.

"All these charges as alleged are indictable by law," said Judge Robert Gorin.

Ali Ashraf, currently in custody, is facing one count of trafficking, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of proceeds from a crime.

Defence attorney Jay Bran represented Ashraf for the day and asked the case be adjourned to the first sitting of the new year. The next court date is Jan. 6.