Saskatchewan justice news — Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser has ordered a new appeal for Odelia and Neressa Quewezance, the Keeseekoose First Nation sisters convicted of second-degree murder in 1994, after a federal conviction review found reasonable grounds that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred in the 1993 killing of Kamsack-area farmer Anthony Joseph Dolff.
By Maplestime Justice Desk | Ottawa, Ontario | September 25, 2026
Sources: Justice Canada, Canadian Lawyer Magazine | Last updated: September 25, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced September 24, 2026 that he has ordered a new appeal for the Quewezance sisters under a s. 696.1 conviction review.
- The review found reasonable grounds a miscarriage of justice likely occurred, citing new information that was not before the courts at trial or appeal.
- The case returns to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal more than 30 years after the 1994 convictions.
- The sisters’ lawyer says the new information relates to their five days in custody at the Kamsack RCMP detachment — and their alleged confessions were never recorded.
What the Quewezance Sisters New Appeal Means
Odelia and Neressa Quewezance were 21 and 18 when they were arrested for the 1993 stabbing death of Anthony Joseph Dolff, a farmer near Kamsack, Saskatchewan. Both were convicted of second-degree murder in 1994. Their cousin confessed to the killing. The sisters have always maintained their innocence.
The case reached federal hands through Innocence Canada, brought in by the late David Milgaard himself — a man who knew exactly what a wrongful conviction in Saskatchewan looks like. The ministerial review application was filed December 21, 2021, and the sisters were granted bail in early 2023.
Five Days in Custody, No Recorded Confessions
The sharpest edge of the new evidence concerns the sisters’ five days in custody at the Kamsack RCMP detachment — held there allegedly in violation of a court order to move them to a local jail. Their alleged confessions were never recorded.
Their lawyer, James Lockyer, isn’t tipping his hand yet: “We’ve discovered some more information in that regard that I don’t feel free to talk about at the moment, but will certainly be presented to the Court of Appeal.”
Fraser was careful to frame the limits of his own power: “My decision does not decide guilt or innocence, as that will rest with the courts. Our responsibility is to make sure Canadians can trust their justice system…” That’s exactly as it should be — the minister opens the door, the courts decide what walks through it.
A Case 30 Years in the Making
Let’s be honest about what this means. Two Indigenous women, arrested as teenagers in 1993, convicted in 1994, and it took until September 2026 — more than three decades — for the system to formally admit that something likely went wrong. The confessions were never recorded. A court order about where they could be held was allegedly ignored. Their cousin said he did it.
The new appeal doesn’t clear them. But after 30 years of maintaining their innocence, the Quewezance sisters finally get the fresh look they asked for.
Maplestime will provide updates from the Quewezance sisters appeal as announcements are made from the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal.
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Should it have taken 30 years for the justice system to admit a likely miscarriage of justice in the Quewezance case? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Canadian who believes the courts should answer to the truth.
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