Former Christian school director found guilty of assault with a weapon

John Olubobokun enters the provincial courthouse in Saskatoon on June 12, 2024. (Chad Hills / CTV News)

A former private Christian school director has been found guilty on all nine charges of assault with a weapon.

During her two-hour decision, Judge Lisa Watson found John Olubobokun, 65, hit students with a wooden paddle while he was a director at Christian Centre Academy from 2003 - 2007.

The school has since changed names twice, first to Legacy Christian Academy, and is now known as Valour Academy.

Olubobokun’s victims called the verdict validating.

“To have the justice system say, ‘This wasn’t okay,’ that’s very validating and healing for everybody,” former student Caitlin Erickson told reporters outside Saskatoon provincial court.

Olubobokun’s trial began in June 2024 with nine former students testifying that he hit them with a wooden paddle. The trial then resumed in March with testimony from defence witnesses including Olubobokun himself.

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During his testimony, he denied paddling any students. He agreed paddling was part of the disciplinary process, but said it was carried out by the principal.

He testified wooden paddles were removed from the school in 2004, following a Supreme Court ruling that banned corporal punishment.

Watson said she found Olubobokun was not credible. She pointed to several inconsistencies in his testimony, a shift in his demeanour, and said he was evasive during cross-examination.

She believed paddles continued to be used in the school following the supreme court ruling. She found the crown’s witnesses credible and believed all nine students were hit with a wooden paddle.

A sentencing date has yet to be set.