Woman who pleaded guilty to drug crimes to be sentenced in First Nations court – Kamloops News

An Indigenous woman who sold drugs in B.C.'s interior towns is heading to a First Nations court to hear her sentence.

Manda Inglis pleaded guilty Thursday in Kamloops provincial court to one count of trafficking fentanyl in Williams Lake on March 6, 2020, and possession of cocaine on July 8, 2020.

The case was adjourned until August 1 to set a sentencing date.

The First Nations court has existed in Kamloops since 2013.

According to the Provincial Court website, it is a sentencing court designed to address the root causes of offenses committed by Indigenous people.

Unlike other courts, the accused sits at a table in a Kamloops courtroom with the prosecutor and defense lawyer, the judge and a group of Indigenous elders, and can invite people from support at the table.

Often, representatives from the White Buffalo Indigenous and Metis Health Society, Friendship Center or area bands are present to offer advice on available resources to develop a rehabilitation and restoration plan.

The Crown prosecutor then considers the circumstances of the offense and the Crown's sentencing position.

The defense attorney presents arguments on behalf of the accused. The accused then has the opportunity to speak, the elders can ask questions and give advice, and then the judge imposes a sentence.

The sentence imposed would be the same as in any criminal court. This may or may not include prison, and a probation order is prepared, which usually includes a recovery plan.