Popular News From Popular Sites: Ex-Tory staffer Sona found guilty of election fraud; 'did not likely act alone'

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Ex-Tory staffer Sona found guilty of election fraud; 'did not likely act alone'

Defendant Michael Sona walks to the courthouse in Guelph, Ont., June 4, 2014. An Ontario judge is set to determine the fate of a Conservative party staffer charged with preventing voters from casting their ballots during the 2011 federal election. Justice Gary Hearn's decision on whether 25-year-old Michael Sona plotted to obstruct voters is expected to come down Aug. 14 in Guelph. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dave Chidley Michael Sona fell victim to his own "apparent arrogance and self-importance," a judge said Thursday as he convicted the former Conservative staffer of using automated phone calls to misdirect voters in the 2011 federal election. Sona, 25, the only one ever to be charged in the case, hung his head in the Guelph, Ont., courtroom while nearby family members fought back tears as Hearn delivered his verdict. The judge rejected the inconsistent and "largely self-serving" testimony of the Crown's star witness, Andrew Prescott, who held out for an immunity deal before agreeing to testify against his former friend and colleague. Much more credible, said Hearn, were the other witnesses: young Conservative employees who described how Sona eagerly bragged about an elaborate plan to stymie Liberal voters, one he likened to the TV action-drama "24."




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