Preliminary inquiry begins for former Liberal MLA

Posted Jan 16, 2012 05:34:55 AM.

This article is more than 5 years old.

A preliminary inquiry begins today for one of four politicians charged in the MLA expense scandal.

Russell MacKinnon, the former Liberal MLA for Cape Breton West, is facing ten charges that include fraud and forgery.

He was charged after a report by the province’s auditor general uncovered widespread inappropriate and excessive expense charges by provincial MLAs.

MacKinnon has elected trial by judge alone. The preliminary inquiry is scheduled to last just one day.

Former Liberal MLA Dave Wilson has pleaded guilty to similar charges and will be sentenced in Sydney on January 25.

Former Tory MLA Richard Hurlburt is scheduled to enter a plea in February and a preliminary hearing for independent MLA Trevor Zinck will begin in June.

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