Wilbur Dedam trial hears from husband of alleged victim
Former chief of Esgenoôpetitj First Nation accused of sex abuse of 3 females between 1977-85
The spouse of a woman who alleges she was sexually abused by former Esgenoôpetitj First Nation chief Wilbur Dedam when she was a child testified he remembered being at a party with the two of them when Dedam broke down and said sorry to her.
The man, who is a former band councillor who served under Dedam, said he also knew the two other women who have accused Dedam of sex crimes against them when they were young girls.
Dedam, 62, is on trial in the Court of Queen's Bench in Miramichi on six sex-related charges dating between 1977-85.
A publication ban prevents reporting the names of the accusers or any information that would identify them.
On Monday, the third woman, now 43, testified she confronted Dedam 10 years ago at a party at his daughter's house.
"My life isn't ruined and I'm not messed up and I forgive you because someone must have done something really wrong to you," she testified she said to Dedam.
She recalled Dedam saying "I'm sorry," and nothing more.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer T.J. Burke confirmed Dedam didn't confess exactly why he was sorry.
Burke did challenge the recall of the witness about the party, given that all were drinking at the time.
The witness testified he never spoke to his spouse about the allegations, but said the alleged victim who testified first "used to always throw comments" about Dedam.
He said she started opening up to him more in the past few years as she started going to therapy.
The first witness to testify Tuesday was a 46-year-old woman who is related to one of the alleged victims.
She testified she saw the youngest alleged victim sitting outside Dedam's house as a child. She went to sit with her and the child said she was scared and confided Dedam wanted to make love to her.
The witness said she told a relative about her conversation with the girl and another one of the witness's family members then went to the Dedam home. She then saw them running down the shore, away from Dedam's home.
Due to scheduling issues, Justice Tracey DeWare adjourned the trial until Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
On Thursday, the Crown is expected to call its final witness, who will testify by video conference.
DeWare indicated the trial is likely to continue all next week.
To date in the trial, the six men and six women on the jury have heard testimony from three women who allege Dedam sexually molested them when they were teenage girls or younger.
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