By Canadian Press

Court martial begins for military’s top judge

Jun 10, 2019 | 11:18 AM

GATINEAU, Que. — The Canadian Forces’ top judge is in a military courtroom today where he faces eight charges, including two counts of fraud.

Col. Mario Dutil’s court martial is not only unprecedented given his position, but it is also shaping up as a test for the military’s justice system.

Dutil was charged last year over allegations he had a consensual but inappropriate relationship with a subordinate and knowingly signed a travel claim for $927.60 containing false information.

Deputy chief military judge Lt.-Col. Louis-Vincent d’Auteuil is presiding over the case, though defence lawyer Philippe-Luc Boutin is asking that d’Auteuil recuse himself from the case.

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Boutin told reporters outside the courtroom that he believes d’Auteuil is too intertwined in the case because of his familiarity with Dutil, some of the prosecution’s witnesses and some facts of the case.

Earlier in the day, d’Auteuil sided with Boutin over military prosecutors by agreeing to let Dutil wear civilian clothes instead of his military uniform during the course of the court martial.

The Canadian Press