Adil Charkaoui declared not guilty

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Benoît Philie

Tuesday, 13 march 2018 15:29

UPDATE
Tuesday, 13 march 2018 15:29

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Accused of assault on a security officer at College Maisonneuve, the imam of the controversial Adil Charkaoui, has been acquitted today in municipal court.

• READ ALSO: Charkaoui says she is the victim of a witch hunt

Visibly relieved upon hearing the decision rendered by judge Guylaine Lavigne, two years after the events, the man, 44-year-old knelt down and stepping out of the courtroom before addressing journalists.

“It has dragged on for two years and it has affected my reputation. The court comes to give me again reason. The witch-hunts and smear campaigns of the media must stop,” he said.

Since the beginning of his trial, the preacher was in denial about having pushed the agent Edict Joseph at a soccer game in the gymnasium of the Collège Maisonneuve, February 21, 2016.

Mr. Charkaoui then acted as the referee during the party attended by his 13 year old son.

Altercation

The employee assigned to the security was conducting a routine check when he was inveighed by a dozen of players who felt nargués by presence.

It was alleged that Adil Charkaoui to be mixed up in the scuffle in insulting, with strong blows of the shoulder and entering the agent Joseph by the arm.

The police had been called and the imam was accused a few days later for assault and armed aggression against the security agent.

His lawyer had said during the trial that his client had instead acted as a “good father” in an attempt to reduce the tension between the players and the agent.

Confusion

In his judgment, the magistrate Guylaine Lavigne pointed out the lack of reliability in the testimony of the complainant, who was the only witness for the defense.

“There has probably been of assault on the person of Edict Joseph on the evening of February 21, 2016 […], but the confusion of the evidence submitted […] leaves the court in a situation where it is impossible to keep one of the versions,” said the judge.

The charges had been filed by summary procedure, which is much less severe than those worn by criminal path.

Mr. Charkaoui was facing a minimum penalty of a few months in prison or a fine.

– With the collaboration of Michael Nguyen