By Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
Lake St. Martin First Nation Chief Christopher Traverse walks through the lobby of the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa on October 23, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)
The trial for a First Nations chief in Manitoba who is accused of sexual assault has begun in Winnipeg.
Christopher Traverse, who was the leader of Lake St. Martin First Nation at the time of his arrest last year, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, sexual interference and child pornography this morning in provincial court.
Court heard from the complainant who was eight-years-old at the time of the alleged offences.
In a video statement played in court, the girl claimed Traverse forced her into a bathroom in his home in Winnipeg in December 2023, took photos of her and sexually assaulted her.
Investigators became aware of the allegations after the girl’s mother found one of the photos on the girl’s cellphone and reported it to police.
Traverse was charged last February and has been out on bail since his arrest.
