Cleaning lady beats cigarette rap

Ottawa, Ontario (Canadian Press)

Anahit Geodjzjan had been working as a cleaning lady at the Iraqi embassy for more than two months and still hadn't received a penny of the $450 a month salary she had been promised.

So when embassy officials offered the 46 year old Russian immigrant a 'gift' of cigarettes to make up for the missing pay, Geodjzjan was thrilled.

She didn't know that by accepting tax-free cigarettes intended for embassy personnel, she was beginning a legal ordeal that would see her arrested, strip-searched, and charged with possessing illegal tobacco under the Excise Act.

Friday, (27 Nov/98) more than 12 months since her arrest, an Ottawa judge found she had acted as any "reasonable person in these circumstances" and had done nothing wrong.

Her lawyer, Julianne Dunbar, questioned the decision to prosecute a cleaning woman who spoke little English, had little money, and also had a poor understanding of the alleged tax evasion. "She was the victim in all this," Dunbar said.

Geodjzjan was arrested by the RCMP on Oct. 8, 1997 as she and her son drove away from the embassy. That day, she had been given two cases of cigarettes and several bottles of alcohol in lieu of the two months pay she was owed. Geodjzjan and her husband are heavy smokers and there was never any question the cigarettes were for anything but personal use.

The police charged her with possession of illegal cigarettes. Since the charges were laid, Geodjzjan has been making regular court appearances and paying her legal bills with her cleaning money and her new $8-an-hour job.

After the verdict was read, a beaming Geodjzjan leaped from her seat in the courtroom. "Thank you, Your Honour," she said, "Thank you."

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