CANADA
Calgary Sun

BY KEVIN MARTIN, POSTMEDIA NETWORK
FIRST POSTED: TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2017

Ruling he was the victim of an abuse of process because of a negligent police investigation, a Calgary judge on Tuesday tossed out sexual assault charges against a former Calgary pastor.

In a brief ruling which will be followed by a more extensive written decision, provincial court Judge Harry Van Harten stayed four charges Wagdi Iskander was facing.

Van Harten agreed with defence lawyer Jennifer Ruttan that there were problems in the police investigation into her client.

Ruttan had argued there were multiple problems with the investigation, including there could’ve been tainting of witnesses and there was evidence lost. But Van Harten in his oral reasons did not specify what exact facts led to his finding there was an abuse of process.