Mother guilty of Inuit identity fraud sentenced to three years in prison

Karima Manji was sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating her two daughters as Inuit in 2016. Judge Mia Manocchio delivered her verdict Thursday morning in Nunavut Court of Justice, saying the sentence would serve as a “signal” to deter people who pretend to be Indigenous to enrich themselves.

Since Monday, Karima Manji has been in detention in a correctional center while awaiting sentence. The total length of the sentence is 36 months less 6 days, for the time she spent in pre-trial detention. Since the sentence is more than two years, Ms. Manji will have to serve it in a federal penitentiary.

In this case, with regard to the crime committed, in my opinion, falsely representing oneself as an Aboriginal person to obtain financial or other advantages is a major crime in Canadasaid Judge Mia Manocchio.

The latter believes that the conviction sets a precedent by sending a signal to those who call themselves indigenous with the ultimate goal of enriching themselves.

In February, Karima Manji pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000. She admitted to fraudulently obtaining more than $158,000 in scholarships and grants from the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) for her two daughters, claiming they were adopted from an Inuk woman from Iqaluit named Kitty Noah.

After the registration process was registered by QIA and Nunavut Tunngavik (NTI), Karima Manji passed the membership cards on to her daughters, Amira and Nadya Gill. Charges of identity fraud were laid by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) against the two sisters. They were dropped in February with their mother’s response to the charge.

Moral guilt very highaccording to the judge

At the sentencing hearing on Monday, Crown prosecutor Sarah White asked for a jail term of 18 months to two years less a day, followed by a one-year probation order. She also asked that Karima Manji undergo therapy and complete 60 hours of community service.

However, the judge considered that the moral culpability of the accused was very highparticularly because of the insult to the Noah family and the pain inflicted on themdid she say.

She not only premeditated her actions, but also continued for a long period of time, well after obtaining the NTI registration cardsaffirmed the magistrate.

Furthermore, the magistrate rejected the plea of ​​the accused’s lawyer, Scott Cowan, who had presented, on Monday, mitigating factors, such as the fact that Karima Manji had pleaded guilty and that she had repaid approximately 80% of the amount she admitted to having obtained fraudulently. Ms. Manji has already repaid $130,000 to QIAand her attorney indicated she intended to repay the remaining $28,254.

According to the judge, the only mitigating factor is Karima Manji’s admission of guilt.

Manji victimized her own children, her own daughters, who were seriously harmed by her crimes”,”text”:”Ms. Manji victimized her own children, her own daughters, who were seriously harmed by her crimes”}}”>Ms. Manji victimized her own children, her own daughters, who were seriously compromised by her crimesshe said.

The judge also said she had taken into account a previous conviction of Karima Manji, who was found guilty in 2017 of defrauding the charity. March of Dimes for whom she worked.

March of Dimes as a major indicator of Mrs.’s delinquent natureManji in terms of predisposition to fraud”,”text”:”Even if I am wrong in this analysis, I consider the March of Dimes fraud to be a major indicator of Ms. Manji’s delinquent character in terms of predisposition to fraud”}}”>Even if I am wrong in this analysis, I consider the fraud of March of Dimes as a major indicator of Ms. Manji’s delinquent nature in terms of predisposition to frauddid she say.

Judicial precedent

The length of the sentence surprised many, including the accused’s lawyer.

The unique elements of this case led the judge to hand down an exemplary sentence.he said, as he left the Nunavut Court. This is a longer duration than most other similar cases.

Usually a judge warns us when he plans to exceed the [requête] of the Crown, but that was not the case herehe continues.

He added that his client had not informed him whether she wished to appeal.

Kitty Noah’s son, Noah Noah, said he was very happy the outcome of the case, as he expected a shorter sentence.

I don’t think it takes the pain away, but I feel better that it sends a message to anyone who tries to impersonate Inuit or First Nations people.he said. It’s good news.

NTI President Aluki Kotierk believes the sentence is commensurate with the crime committed.

In other parts of Canada, we know of non-Indigenous people who claim to be Indigenous, in academia for example, and who have not been criminally charged.she says. So the fact that this case is leading to a criminal charge is, I think, really important.

It is a crime to falsely and calculatedly claim to be someone you are not in order to gain financial benefit.

Selon Aluki Kotierk, NTI has updated its criteria for registration in the register of Inuit beneficiaries. It now requires additional supporting documents from people who reside outside of Nunavut and those who are undertaking registration procedures for the first time. However, she deplores the longer-term repercussions of this affair.

It’s terrible because it created suspicion, and I think that from now on, there will always be suspicion as to whether a person is truly Inuk or not.she regrets. It’s somehow impossible to quantify and it’s irreparable.

With information from TJ Dhir