Spiritual leader's wife charged with sexual assault accuses police of taking cell phone without warrant
The wife of an Edmonton spiritual leader who is accused of sexual assault has a new lawyer.
Zachary Al-Khatib appeared in court on Wednesday on Leigh Ann de Ruiter's behalf, arguing for the return of de Ruiter’s cell phone.
“One of the things that happened when she was arrested was that her cell phone was seized from her,” Al-Khatib told CTV News Edmonton outside of the provincial courthouse.
He argued the phone was taken without a warrant.
“No warrant has been provided for that seizure. That warrant is a judicial authorization, it lets the public know that a judge has signed off and permitted the police to take the phone. That information has not been provided,” he said.
“The fact that she’s not even been given a legal basis for her phone being taken away and it’s in police custody right now and not being released to her is extremely concerning,” he added.
Leigh Ann de Ruiter is married to John de Ruiter, leader of the Oasis Group based in Edmonton.
He’s accused of sexually assaulting four people in separate incidents between 2017 and 2020.
Leigh Ann is charged with three counts of sexual assault, which police say are three of the same incidents as her husband.
Both are out on bail with a number of conditions.
Leigh Ann’s next court appearance is on April 12.
“We’re left to wait,” said Al-Khatib. “The crown has been given another two weeks to provide disclosure.”
In April, he hopes the Crown will provide a legal basis for the seizure of his client’s phone.
“It may be that we have to ask another judge to make the crown give that basis or provide the phone back to her.”
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Alison MacKinnon
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.