Former regional chief Morley Googoo charged with sexual assault

Two former Mi'kmaw politicians are now facing sexual assault allegations, including a past regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

In December, RCMPcharged Morley Googoo, former regional AFN chief for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, with sexual assault.

The52-year-old is alleged to have committed the offence in March 2013 in his home community of We'koqma'q, N.S., according to court documents.

Googooresponded Tuesday afternoon to what he called "unfounded allegations" in an emailed statement to CBC Cape Breton.

"This lateral violence and repeated misrepresentation of my character has cost me greatly and has impacted my family deeply," he wrote.

Googoothanked his supporters, saying his work and personal life havealways focused on helping his people.

He resigned as We'koqma'q chief in 2011 in order to serve as one of AFN's leaders.

He was in the midst of his third consecutive term as a regional chiefwhen harassment allegations against him began to surface.

An investigation launched by AFN in 2019 gathered evidence suggesting Googoo used his influence along with death threats and other forms of intimidation to keep women from contacting police with allegations of sexual assault against him.

Those allegations led to Googoo's suspension and subsequent removal as regional chief in October 2019, but theywere never proven in court.

Former bandcouncillor charged

It is not clear whether the December charge against Googoo is connected to the report's findings. Googoo is expected to appear in a Wagmatcook courtroom on Feb. 3.

Another former First Nation politician is facing similar charges. In December, police charged a longstanding We'koqma'q band councillor,Cyrus Bernard, also 52.

Bernard is charged with three counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual interference. The charges relate to one person under 16.

The offences are alleged to have occurred between 2014 and 2015.

Bernard was firstelected to We'koqma'q council in 2006, and re-electedin October.

He has since resigned from that position, and isdue back in court on Wednesday.