Fredericton man denies flashing charge
Benedict Chibuzo Maduike, 40, headed to trial on indecent-act allegation
A Fredericton man accused of exposing his genitals earlier this year denied the allegation through counsel Wednesday.
Benedict Chibuzo Maduike, 40, of Patience Lane, was scheduled to make his first appearance in Fredericton provincial court Wednesday on a charge of committing an indecent act.
The Fredericton Police Force count alleges he exposed his genitals Feb. 27 with “intent to insult or offend any person.”
Maduike wasn’t present in court Wednesday, but defence lawyer Alexandra Youssef appeared as an agent for his legal counsel, Nathan Gorham.
She entered a not-guilty plea on the client’s behalf.
Youssef noted Gorham felt the trial would take a full day of court time.
She was prepared to set the matter down for trial, as she had Gorham’s schedule, but she was aware the practice in Fredericton provincial court is to schedule case-management conferences for any trials expected to last longer than half a day and to scheduled trial dates then.
Judge Anne Dugas-Horsman, a visiting judge to the jurisdiction, said that practice was more likely to add delays rather than alleviate them, but since that’s the usual procedure in the Fredericton courts, she scheduled a case-management conference for Oct. 19.
Maduike’s trial date would be set at that time, she said.
Update: The Crown withdrew the charge Jan. 19, 2024.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.