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Six months in jail for liquor theft and forgery Emily Ridlington Northern News Services Published Monday, July 25, 2011
Aaron Akulukjuk was sentenced to six months in jail for the possession of stolen property and forging documents at the Nunavut Court of Justice on June 23. "We have citizens like yourself who are stealing because they are hungry," said Judge Robert Kilpatrick. He added, "You should be able to earn your own way in life." Crown attorney Doug Garson said that on Sept. 20, 2010 RCMP searched Akulukjuk's house and found alcohol stolen from the liquor warehouse in Iqaluit. The RCMP found 45 cans of beer, 12 bottles of wine, 72 bottles of beer and one bottle of rum. Defense lawyer Gary Magee told the court his 28-year-old client, with family ties in Iqaluit and Arctic Bay, said he was on his bike and saw young people with a lot of alcohol and asked if they needed a hand. At the time of the incident he was already on probation for 12 months following his release from prison after a 10-month stay. On Oct. 14, RCMP got a call from staff at DJ Sensations reporting someone was trying to cash a forged cheque made out in his name and from J&G Automotive. The accused used a pin to scratch out the name of the recipient. Magee said his client needed money to buy food. Akulukjuk would normally get food at his aunt's house but she was away. Garson asked for a one- to two-month sentence. Kilpatrick credited the accused with one-and-a-half days for each day spent in custody at Baffin Correctional Centre awaiting trial. "No one in their right mind would enjoy staying at that facility," he said. Kilpatrick suggested Akulukjuk look at NorthMart and Arctic Ventures as sources of employment in the future.
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