Tlicho ex-chief pleads not guilty to sex assault

Former Tlicho grand chief Joe Rabesca has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman last fall, while he was in the middle of a leadership dispute with the aboriginal government.

Rabesca, 61, was charged in October with sexual assault, inconnection with an alleged incident in mid-October in Behchoko, N.W.T.

Rabesca stood silently in a Yellowknife courtroom on Tuesday morning as his lawyer, Paul Falvo, entered the plea.

"No comment there,"Rabesca told reporters who gathered outside court afterward. "Boy, you reporters really like me, eh?"

Longtime Dene leader

Rabesca's trial is scheduled to take place in Behchoko on April 27.

A longtime Dene leader in the Northwest Territories, Rabesca led the Tlicho through years of negotiations toward a self-government and land-claim agreement with the federal and N.W.T. governments in 2005.

Most recently, Rabesca served as Tlicho grand chief from 2009 until October, when members accused him of not attending assembly meetings.

On Oct. 20, Rabesca asked the assembly to give him three months of paid leave so he could deal with personal issues. His request was denied.

At least 3 candidatesseek top job

Two days later, the Tlicho government announced that Rabesca had "effectively resigned" as grand chief. Alphonse Apples was named interim grand chief.

While Rabesca made his court appearance on Tuesday, Tlicho membersnominated candidates for abyelection to elect a new grand chief.

Leaders and other delegates from the Tlicho region's four communities Whati, Behchoko, Wekweeti and Gameti gathered in Behchoko for the nomination meeting.

But by day's end, it was unclear how many candidates will run in the March22 byelection.

Former N.W.T. MLAs Leon Lafferty and James Wah-Shee were both confirmed as official candidates.

Former Behchoko chief Eddie Erasmus accepted a nomination early in the meeting but withdrew a short time later. He changed his mind again and is now considered to be an official candidate, officials said.

But Tlicho executives must decide whether to allow a fourth candidate, 31-year-old Jasper Lamouelle of Behchoko, to run in the byelection.

Lamouelle had secured the 20 supporters he needed to be declared an official candidate, but byelection officials said he is not on the list of eligible Tlicho voters.

Lamouelle is considered to be a provisional candidate for now, as the Tlicho executive council decides whether to accept his candidacy.