Man accused of attacking 2 women testifies at his trial in Yellowknife

A man accused of sexually assaulting two women in separate attacks told a Yellowknife court on Monday that he did nothing more than share some drinks with both women.

Peter Tsetta was the last person to testify in his N.W.T. Supreme Court trial on two counts of sexual assault and two counts of forcible confinement.

Tsetta said he did nothing more than share drinks and conversation with the two women he's accused of attacking in separate incidents in his Ndilo, N.W.T., home, one in May 2017 and the second a month later.

Before Tsetta testified, the judge ruled that a videotaped police statement the woman he's accused of attacking in May gave to police can be used as evidence in the trial. The woman who gave the statement died in December.

Tsetta testified that the encounter with her began with a chance meeting downtown. He said she asked to come to his place to continue drinking. He said they talked and drank at his home for about four hours. Tsetta said the mood suddenly changed when the woman noticed a bag of clothing that he says his sister, who stayed at his place from time to time, had left behind.

"She said, 'Is this some slut's clothes?'" testified Tsetta. She said the woman fell into a jealous rage, and he held her by the shoulders and guided her out the door.

Tsetta said after closing the door on her, she kicked it open before finally walking away.

Videotaped testimony contradicts Tsetta

In her videotaped statement to police, the woman said she went to Tsetta's house with another woman. She said she blacked out and the next thing she remembers is waking up to him having sex with her. She said she screamed and Tsetta put his hand over her mouth.

She said Tsetta released her only after she promised not to go to police. She said she went to the nearby Vital Abel boarding home for help. The night security person testified during the trial that the woman showed up in tears and said she had been sexually assaulted.

Tsetta testified that the June incident began the same way as the first, with a chance encounter with a woman who, like him and the first woman, was part of a group who regularly drank and socialized in Yellowknife's downtown.

He said he invited her to his place, where they continued drinking and talking for a few hours.

"She got tired. I told her to lay on the couch and she did," he told the court.

Tsetta said he went to his room and went to sleep. He said he woke up some time later when the woman called his name and asked for another drink and a cigarette. He said he told her he had neither. He said she left shortly after.

The woman had testified earlier that she fell asleep and woke up to Tsetta on top of her, raping her. She said she struggled to get away. She said at one point, she made it to the door but could not unlock it before he grabbed her again.

The lawyers are scheduled to give their final arguments Wednesday morning.