IQALUIT - Last Friday, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an appeal by Salomonie Jaw asking for a new trial in the case of the 2001 murder of RCMP Const. Jergen Seewald in Cape Dorset.

Jaw was convicted in 2004 of first-degree murder and is serving a life sentence of 25 years before eligibility for parole.

Jaw's lawyers were appealing for a new trial on the grounds the trial judge had made an error in his address to the jury in 2004 regarding what established intent to commit murder.

The Supreme Court judges voted 7-2 to dismiss the appeal.

Jaw's girlfriend called police to her home March 5, 2001 because she and Jaw were fighting and Jaw refused to leave. Jaw fired a shotgun at Seewald during a struggle with the officer. Seewald, who was 47 and had been an RCMP officer for more than 25 years, died from his wounds at the scene.

-NNSL staff

Cape Dorset man charged with trafficking

Police have charged a 47-year-old Cape Dorset man after seizing more than seven pounds of marijuana in a bust at the Iqaluit airport.

Samayuli Tunnillie is charged with possession for purpose of trafficking. RCMP made the arrest Sept. 17 after executing a search warrant and finding the 7.4 pounds of pot inside luggage destined for Cape Dorset.

RCMP say the marijuana has a street value of $200,800 in Cape Dorset - which is roughly $60 a gram - and is equal to about 13,400 joints.

Drugs and alcohol continue to be a "plague" the territory and without support from the community such seizures would not be possible, according to police.

In late July police charged two other Cape Dorset individuals with trafficking in ongoing efforts to stamp out drug trade in the town.

In that case, Annie Tunnillie, 34, and Tommy Manning, 29, were charged after police seized $7,000 worth of pot.

It was the second significant drug seizure in the town since January, Cape Dorset RCMP said.

At the time Cape Dorset Sgt. James McLaren told Nunavut News/North there was a substantial drug trade in the hamlet, adding "There is an abundance of marijuana in town and we're doing our best to track down how it's coming into town and the people who are selling it."

Anyone with any information regarding criminal activity is asked to contact their RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers.

-Lauren McKeon