Jury finds former Christian school principal guilty of assault with a weapon

On the seventh day of the trial of a former principal of Legacy Christian Academy, a jury found Duff Friesen guilty of assault with a weapon, though he was acquitted on three additional counts of the same charge.

Friesen’s trial began on May 12 at the Court of King’s Bench in Saskatoon. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stemmed from allegations that he struck students with a wooden paddle at the Saskatoon school between 2003 and 2004.

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Many details of the trial cannot be reported due to a publication ban.

The publication ban is meant to ensure Friesen’s upcoming jury trial, where he is facing seven more charges of assault with a weapon, is not compromised. That case is set to begin on September 2

Sentencing dates will be discussed by Crown prosecutor Sheryl Fillo and defense lawyer Daniel Mol on June 23.

According to court documents, Mol will advise in advance if the matter can proceed with a sentencing hearing on that same day.

Other former staff members have been named in abuse claims by former students at Legacy Christian Academy, and some of the former students have launched a class-action lawsuit against teachers, principals, directors, and other staff members who worked at the school.

The school was previously known as Christian Centre Academy, and has since been renamed Valour Academy.

John Olubobokun, the school’s former executive director, was on trial in March, facing nine charges of assault with a weapon. The verdict in that case is expected to be delivered on July 21.

In January of 2024, Ken Schultz, the school’s former principal, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault with a weapon and sexual assault.

Aaron Travis Benneweis, the school’s former athletic director,  pleaded guilty to sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor, and was handed a two-year sentence.