Former city man fined for charges from 12 years ago

A former Lethbridge man charged with several criminal offences more than 12 years ago, has finally been sentenced.

Idris Wako Arado, who was charged in 2007 then moved to Vancouver shortly afterward, pleaded guilty Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to single counts of drug possession, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and failure to attend court.

Arado was arrested July 29, 2007 after Lethbridge police responded to a report of an altercation in the river valley. Vancouver lawyer David Milburn told court Arado got into an altercation with another man who had taken his truck without his permission. When he found the vehicle, he confronted the other man, but a second man who was in the vehicle pulled out a knife. Arado retrieved a bat from his truck and, although acting in self defence, “went overboard” with threats, scaring away the second man.

When police caught up with Arado later, they found 24.7 grams of cocaine.

“He’s not a drug trafficker,” Milburn said. “He’s never sold drugs.”

Milburn said after his client was arrested, he spent some time in custody, which he assumed was the sentence. When he was released on bail he returned to Vancouver and failed to attend his next court hearing. Only recently did he inform his lawyer he wanted to deal with his charges.

Arado was originally charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, failure to appear and breach of recognizance.

Federal Crown prosecutor John Oman accepted the lesser pleas, however, and noted in particular that the trafficking charge likely couldn’t be proven since at least one other person had possession of the vehicle in which the drugs were found. Oman also pointed out Arado does not have a criminal record.

Arado was fined $150 for missing court, $500 for uttering threats and $1,500 for possessing the cocaine. The remaining charges were withdrawn.