‘Not a hint of remorse:’ Third former employee of Christian school faces charges

Former students of Legacy Christian Academy filled courtroom seats in Saskatoon on Thursday as they watched a familiar face enter the prisoner box.

John Olubobokun, 63, a former executive director at Legacy Christian Academy, is facing 12 charges of assault with a weapon. He’s the third former employee of the school to face criminal charges.

“In 2021 and 2022, several reports were made to police with allegations of assault occurring historically,” the Saskatoon Police Service said in a statement.

“The victims and accused were known to one another through their affiliation with the Saskatoon faith-based institution.”

According to police, Olubobokun turned himself in on Thursday. That same afternoon, he stood in court before 15 former students.

One of those students was Caitlin Erickson, who is also a plaintiff in a $25-million lawsuit against the school and Mile Two, its affiliated church.

She said it felt like a dark cloud entered the courtroom.

“He tried to intimidate us in court just like he did when we were kids, and it didn’t work,” she said.

“It was pretty wild to see after all these years that he has not changed as an individual. There was not a hint of remorse on that man at all today.”

Olubobokun was released with court-ordered conditions – such as not seeking or continuing to be employed or volunteering to be in a position of trust around anyone under the age of 18 – to appear in court again next month.

Erickson said that after Olubobokun was terminated from Legacy Christian Academy he opened Grace Christian School, which closed down last year.

Erickson said she felt supported by the other students around her, and said the experience has pushed them together.

She said the criminal charges add validity to what former students have claimed, and noted she expects for there to be more charges in the future.

Olubobokun is set to appear in court again on July 17, and Erickson said she will also be at the next appearance.