Prince Albert Provincial Court. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Boxing Day murder suspect makes first court appearance

Dec 30, 2019 | 12:16 PM

The man charged in connection to a violent incident at Wahpeton Dakota Nation on Boxing Day fought back tears as he made his first court appearance Monday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court.

Nathan Waditaka, 19, became very emotional when Judge S. Schiefner read out the three charges: second degree murder, assault and sexual assault.

The specific details of what happened last Thursday remain unclear. RCMP have only said 19- year-old Zellal Highway was badly injured, and was later pronounced deceased at the community’s health clinic.

Two other people were assaulted during the incident, including a 17- year-old girl. She was treated at Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert for her injuries. Police indicated Waditaka was injured too and was also taken to hospital in Prince Albert. He was still on crutches at the time of his court appearance.

Waditaka was ultimately remanded at the conclusion of the hearing. His mother requested one of the conditions of the remand to include he be watched for attempts at self-harm. Judge Schiefner agreed to the request, and spoke directly to Waditaka.

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“These are difficult times for you,” he said with empathy. “There are people who care about you.”

Family members of both the accused and the victim were in attendance, and neither side was willing to comment publicly on the case. One woman who claimed to be the grandmother of the victim, said in private the incident has hit the community and both families very hard.

The community of Wahpeton Dakota Nation is located roughly 20 km northwest of Prince Albert.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell