Accused priest gets bail

By KEVIN MARTIN, SUN MEDIA


The elderly Catholic priest implicated in an alleged Calgary fraud scheme has been granted bail.

Provincial court Judge Bob Wilkins yesterday said Father Gilles Dube could return to his Quebec home pending trial.

Wilkins made the order after Crown prosecutor Photini Papadatou said she was not opposed to Dube's release if he posted $5,000 cash bail.

A condition of his release is that he stay with a priest in Calgary until travel arrangements can be made for his return to eastern Canada.

"He's going to stay with (the priest) until he goes back, which we expect will be within a week," Papadatou said.

Defence counsel Joan Blumer said she will file a designation of counsel so her client won't have to return to Calgary until an as yet to be scheduled trial is held.

Dube, 81, is charged along with two others with fraud in connection with a scheme which allegedly duped Alberta Dr. Frederick Van Rooyen out of $500,000.

Also charged are Jean Pierre Bellefeuille and Jamie Jie Tong Yu in connection with events between April 1, and July 31, 2006.

The pair were arrested April 8, in B.C. The case against all three accused returns to court May 13.

James Morton
1100 - 5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4