Update: Charge sworn in January 2019 sexual assault

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Update: Charge sworn in January 2019 sexual assault

The charge has been sworn in Halifax Provincial Court for 36-year-old Tesfom Kidane Mengis of Halifax in relation to this sexual assault. He is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on February 26, 2019.

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January 7, 2019 (11:30 a.m.)

Police charge taxi driver with sexual assault

Police have charged a taxi driver with sexual assault in relation to an incident that occurred in Halifax over the weekend.

At approximately 5:45 a.m. on January 6 police responded to a report of a sexual assault that had occurred a short time earlier in Halifax. A taxi driver drove a female to a residence in Halifax and sexually assaulted her while she was in the vehicle.

To protect the identity of the victim, we are not releasing the address where the sexual assault occurred.

As a result of the investigation, officers arrested the taxi driver at a residence in Halifax without incident at approximately 3:30 that afternoon.
A 36-year-old Halifax man was charged with sexual assault and was released to appear in Halifax Provincial Court at a later date.

Sexual assault investigations are very complex. As part of our victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to sexualized violence, we work closely with victims to ensure they’re willing to proceed with a police investigation, which includes giving a statement about the incident and providing a description of the suspect if possible. Police must also ensure the victim’s privacy is upheld and well-being is fully considered; officers have been taking these measures since first speaking with the victim, and we’re now in a position to report this incident to the public.

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