Former Chief Admits Guilt In Vote-Buying Scandal

Former Chief Admits Guilt In Vote-Buying Scandal

Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 15:00

The former chief of the Red Pheasant First Nation has pleaded guilty to fraud.

This morning, Charles Meechance admitted in a North Battleford courtroom he tried to buy votes in an election four years ago.

In the spring of 2005, Meechance ran for chief and a number of political allies ran for council in a band election.

According to an agreed upon set of facts already put before the court in a related case, one of Meechance’s supporters gave various amounts of money to band members who agreed to vote for Meechance and other selected candidates.

The man who took part in that act, Bert Benson, has already received a 15-month conditional sentence for his role in the scandal.

Meechance will be sentenced on December 8th.