Saskatoon Christian school leader receives 18-month conditional sentence
Global News
Former Saskatoon Christian school director John Olubobokun received an 18-month conditional sentence Thursday in the assault case against former students.
A packed courtroom gathered Thursday to hear a former Saskatoon Christian school director receive a conditional sentence after he was found guilty this past summer on nine counts of assault.
John Olubobokun was handed an 18-month conditional sentence to be served in the community for assaults at former Christian Centre Academy dating back to 2003 through to 2007 — his time as the school’s director.
The school has since changed its name twice, once to Legacy Christian Academy and now known as Valour Academy.
Former students previously told the court their stories of being struck by Olubobokun with a wooden paddle as a form of discipline, something the defence previously said was a part of the school’s mandate that parents were aware of.
Olubobokun was initially charged in 2023, with the guilty verdict decided in July of this year.
Tense moments played out in the packed courtroom just before sentencing was underway, with limited seating available for all victims, supporters and relatives of Olubobokun, and attendees disagreeing on who should sit where.
An overflow room with a virtual screen streaming the proceedings opened up beside the main courtroom for those without a seat.
Following the sentencing, former students shared their feelings of relief, stressing the importance of the sentencing on preventing similar cases in the future.
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