School trustee candidate who claimed to be victim of racist death threats pleads guilty to elections fraud

The failed Calgary school trustee candidate who claimed to be the victim of racist death threats has admitted to lying about being a Canadian citizen on her elections paperwork.

Nimra Amjad, 33, pleaded guilty to one count ofsigning a candidate's acceptance form that contains a false statementunder theLocal Authorities Election Act.

"Ms.Amjad was not a Canadian citizen but has been a permanent resident in Canada" since 2011, said prosecutor Shelley Smith during the guilty plea.

Provincial court Judge Peter Barley imposed the maximum $1,000 fine proposed by Smith and accepted by defence lawyer Rame Katrib.

A second charge ofmaking a false statement for a purpose related to an election was withdrawn.

• Failed school trustee candidate who claimed to be victim of racist death threats charged under Election Act
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The Pakistani citizen applied for Canadian citizenship two days after nomination day, Smith told the judge.

Amjad was charged in January,after a member of the public reportedAmjadwas not a Canadian citizen and therefore not eligible to run.

Last year, Amjad claimed to be the victim of racist death threats during her bid to become a school trustee.

Two days before the election, CBC News reported police had halted their investigation after Amjad became unco-operative and the man she had accusedsaidnot only did he not do it, but he had dated Amjad.

An email chain between Amjad and the detective depicted a frustrated investigator attempting to get a statement out of Amjad without success.

When confronted by CBC News, Amjad changed her story numerous times.

Sheinitially deniedever meeting or knowing Shawn Street, the man she had accused, but by the end of the interview, Amjad confirmed she had met Street online and had gone on several dates with him.

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