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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A second-degree murder charge against a woman accused of killing her sister was dropped by Crown prosecutors yesterday.

Doris Kendi, 59, was arrested and charged with the murder of her sister, Lorraine Bonnetplume, last June. Crown prosecutor John McFarlane told territorial court Judge Robert Gorin that the murder charge was withdrawn because there is not a "reasonable prospect of conviction."

"I have carefully reviewed all of the disclosure, including forensic reports," said McFarlane. "The death of Mrs. Bonnetplume is still an unsolved homicide."

Speaking outside the courtroom, McFarlane said he could not disclose whether there are other suspects in the case. He did confirm, however, a police investigation into the death of Bonnetplume is still ongoing.

On June 27, 2008, Bonnetplume was found dead in a cabin owned by Kendi, approximately 20 km outside of Yellowknife on Highway 3. The RCMP reported soon after the incident that Bonnetplume's husband had called police for help because his wife had been injured.

Bonnetplume was found dead by the time police and medical responders arrived at the scene. Kendi was arrested at around 2:30 a.m. that morning at the cabin.

"She has always asserted her innocence here," said defence lawyer Hugh Latimer. Before being dismissed from court, Kendi faced three charges of breach of probation, to which she had previously pleaded guilty.

Kendi had been released on bail on Sept. 30 by Supreme Court Justice Louise Carbonneau but was taken back into custody on Jan. 30, after she was charged with three violations of her bail conditions.

On Jan. 29 she failed to report in person to the RCMP station in Fort McPherson, where she was residing with her mother. Police also said she broke her curfew, and on Jan. 30 an RCMP officer located Kendi at a residence where the officer accused her of being intoxicated. She was arrested and has been in custody at the Fort Smith women's correctional facility ever since.

Kendi, dressed in a bright pink shirt, spoke briefly to the court to apologize for breaking her bail conditions.

"I understand what I did was wrong," she said, adding her mother is "not doing too well."

Kendi also asked, if released, to remain in Yellowknife.

"The record I have before me is quite dated," said Gorin of Kendi's criminal record.

"(The) last conviction is about 15 years old."

Gorin handed down a sentence of one day in jail for each of the three breach charges. Given the time Kendi spent in custody on the murder charge, she was released with time served.

"You're free to leave," said Gorin.