Calgary police have charged a former pastor in connection to a sexual assault that happened over 20 years ago.
The Calgary Police Service Child Abuse Unit charged a man after the victim contacted police to report a series of sexual assaults that allegedly happened during counselling sessions with his pastor.
Police say the offences happened between 1994 and 1996 and that the victim came forward to police in 1996 and the file was assigned to detectives who started a thorough investigation.
“Due to the victim’s young age, the family chose to not pursue the matter through the courts and wished the church to resolve it. The victim and his family then contacted the Calgary Police Service again in 2012 and asked that the matter be reopened for the possibility of criminal charges being laid and again the Child Abuse Unit reopened the investigation and laid charges last week,” said S/Sgt. Robert Rutledge, Calgary Police Service Child Abuse Unit.
Wagdi Yuosif Iskander, 52, of Calgary, is charged with sexual assault and sexual interference with a child under 14.
The accused was the pastor of the Arabic Baptist Church, which was located at the Cambrian Heights Baptist Church, at the time of the alleged offences.
Police say the Arabic Baptist Church is now known as the Arabic Alliance Church and uses space at the Foothills Alliance Church.
Police say the victim was eleven at the time of the alleged offences.
“We’re looking at about approximately 50 to 60 incidents of sexual touching, masturbations, molesting, over the course of when the victim was eleven to almost thirteen years, so almost two year time period,” said Rutledge.
Investigators say they believe Iskander has not acted as a pastor since 2012.
“It’s my understanding from the primary investigators that Mr. Iskander is a well-known public speaker in the church and has traveled internationally for several years,” said Rutledge.
Iskander was released on a promise to appear and will be in court to face the charges in four to six weeks.
Police are asking anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to report it to the non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, no matter how long ago the incident occurred.
Anyone with information this case is asked to contact the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers anonymously using any of the following methods:
TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
TEXT: 274637
For more information about to how recognize signs of child abuse, visit the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre website HERE.
