Sentencing hearing adjourned in Penticton Indian Band fraud case

A Penticton Indian Band member facing sentencing on charges of forgery, falsifying documents and fraud had her hearing adjourned in Penticton court today.

Marnie Leslie Kruger, a member of the Penticton Indian Band, was to be sentenced today, Nov. 4, for actions committed while working for a forestry business owned by the Penticton Indian Band.

Court documents show Kruger, born in 1967, was charged with one count of forgery for falsifying cheques between September 1, 2016 and July 1, 2017.

She also faces a charge of falsifying documents and a third charge of fraud in excess of $5,000 during the same period.

Defence lawyer Norm Yates asked for an adjournment of the hearing today, telling court Kruger had been interested in participating in the Penticton Indian Band’s restorative justice program “from the start.”

He said the COVID-19 pandemic delayed initiation of the program until late in the summer, but by that time Kruger had entered her pleas.

Yates said his client, who was not present in court, had signed a contract with the restorative justice program, which includes the band council and administration for the forestry company Kruger worked for. However, the program had not yet been completed.

Yates asked for and was granted an adjournment to Nov. 18 to allow the process to conclude.

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