Nellie Angutiguluk's accused killer turned up at memorial with new girlfriend, jury hears
Open Door's Rev. Caleb Clark describes watching relationship between Kwasi Benjamin, alleged victim go bad
A Crown witness at the second-degree murder trial of Kwasi Benjamin described his astonishment when the accused showed up at the memorial service for his fiancée, Nellie Angutiguluk,with another woman.
"He introduced me to her as his new girlfriend, and I was shocked by this," Caleb Clark told Superior Court Justice Michael Stober and the jury Friday.
Angutiguluk's body was found in a Côte-des-Neiges apartment on May 18, 2015. Clark said Benjamin told him she had died of a drug overdose.
Clark, a pastor at The Open Door, a drop-in centre for homeless people frequented by Inuit living in Montreal, said about two weeks after Angutiguluk died, he organized a memorial service for her, at Benjamin's request.
He said several Inuit had come to the service to pay their respects.
Benjamin's arrival at the memorial with another Inuk woman threw him off, he said.
"My facial expression was shock that he'd bring a girlfriend to his fiancée's memorial," said Clark.
He said the other woman did not stay more than a couple of minutes.
Watched relationship sour
Clark testified he met Angutiguluk and Benjamin at The Open Door in 2013, in a little park behind the centre where people would often congregate to drink.
Clark said he would see Angutiguluk about once a month, mostly in the company of Benjamin.
Shortly after meeting them, they expressed their desire to get married, Clark said. He said they didn't want to be like other people at the centre who simply lived together.
"Their faith was important to both of them," said Clark. "Being right with God was important."
However, in the months before Angutiguluk's death, Clark said he watched the relationship deteriorate. The pair was fighting. Benjamin expressed concern about Angutiguluk's alcohol and cocaine use.
"She did not see it in the same way, as being a problem," said Clark.
Angutiguluk left Benjamin two or three times, Clark said. At one point, he said, he received a call from Benjamin saying Angutiguluk had taken $200 from his pants, and he was worried she was going to buy crack.
Under cross-examination from defence lawyer Neil Demmerle, Clark described how he would counsel the accused and his alleged victim.
Clark said most of the time when he saw the couple at The Open Door, everything seemed all right, except for the times they had to discuss the "heavier issues in their relationship."
He said Angutiguluk enjoyed the company of the other Inuit who frequented the centre.
"They seemed happy, especially Nellie when she'd be around her Inuit friends. When the Inuit gather, a lot of laughing and joking ensues," said Clark.
The trial resumes at the Montreal courthouse on Monday.