The self-proclaimed “Queen of Canada,” Romana Didulo, is set to return to court for a bail hearing in Swift Current on Monday after spending the weekend in custody.
The 50-year-old cult leader was remanded after she made her first appearance in provincial court on Friday on charges of failing to comply with an undertaking and intimidating a justice system participant.
She had been living with members of the cult in a decommissioned school in Richmound, Sask., about 365 kilometres west of Regina, when it was raided by RCMP on Wednesday.
Ricky Manz, who owns the former school in Richmound, was arrested last week on the same charges and held in custody until his bail hearing, also scheduled for Monday.
The condition of the undertaking they are both alleged to have breached is that they were not supposed to contact each other.
The intimidation charge stems from a July investigation in Richmound, RCMP have said. Information discussed during court Friday indicated the charge is allegedly related to intimidating four people, including a police officer.
Didulo and Manz were two of 16 people who were arrested by RCMP following the Wednesday raid. Everyone was released without charges, then Didulo and Manz were rearrested and charged.
Since the cult set up base in Richmound — a village of about 120 people — there have been complaints from locals, who accuse the group of harassing people and plotting to take over the town.
RCMP said they raided the cult’s compound last week after receiving a report that one of its occupants had a firearm. Police said they seized 13 imitation semi-automatic handguns, ammunition and a large number of electronic devices.
Order to vacate building
The Saskatchewan Health Authority has now deemed the former school unfit for habitation. The health authority posted an order to vacate Friday, after it found the building was not connected to a municipal sewage system.
A social media post on Friday included photos of what appeared to be the health authority’s order posted on fencing around the building.
In an email to CBC on Friday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority confirmed the order, saying it had “gathered sufficient evidence regarding health concerns and compliance issues … to determine there is a risk to public health safety,” and that the building was deemed “unfit for human occupation.”
As a result, the health authority issued an eviction order for anyone still occupying the building, the email said.
RCMP said at least three other people are expected to be charged in the investigation.
Front Burner‘Queen of Canada’ cult leader arrested
On Wednesday, 16 people — including Romana Didulo, the cult leader known as the “Queen of Canada” — were arrested in the tiny Saskatchewan village of Richmound. RCMP released them the following day, but then re-arrested two unidentified individuals.
Didulo and her followers have been holed up in a decommissioned school there for two years. Their presence has been a source of ire for many locals, and ratcheted up divisions between the townspeople.
Today: What happens when a cult comes to town — especially in a time of such intense societal polarization?
Our guest is Rachel Browne, an investigative journalist and documentary maker who is currently working on a podcast for CBC about the impact that the “Queen of Canada” has had on this tiny village.
For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts [https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts]
