New charges have been announced in an investigation against a Saskatoon church-run school.
Saskatoon Police arrested former director of Legacy Christian Academy, John Olubobokun. Olubobokun turned himself in Thursday morning and was charged with 12 counts of assault with a weapon.
The charges come only one week after former principal Duff Friesen was arrested and charged with 11 counts of assault with a weapon.
Former athletic director Aaron Benneweis is also facing charges of sexual assault and exploitation.
Olubobokun appeared in Saskatoon Provincial Court on Thursday.
He stared, unblinking, one-by-one, at each of the 15 former Legacy Christian Academy students that had come to see him through a pane of glass.
“He was doing what he used to do to us students which was glaring us down and staring us down and it was pretty wild to see after all these years that he has not changed as an individual,” said former student Caitlin Erickson. “There was not a hint of remorse on that man at all today.”
Erickson and other former students have launched a $25 million class-action lawsuit against the school, run by Mile-Two Church.
They are alleging they were physically and sexually abused during their time at the school.
Olubobokun, Friesen, and Benneweis are all named in the lawsuit.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. The civil case will begin in court July 7.
“There are a lot more victories and success as you go on,” said former student Jennifer Beaudry. “It definitely builds your confidence. We don’t need the validation of other people to know that this is what happened, but to have it and to have it from the proper authority means a lot and it brings a lot of closure.”
Olubobokun’s next appearance is scheduled for July 17.
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