Manitoba

Sex assault charge laid against military officer in Winnipeg

A Canadian Armed Forces officer based in Winnipeg has been charged with sexual assault.

Matter is now before the courts, although officer faces possibility of court martial

The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) has charged a member of the Canadian Armed Forces in Winnipeg with sexual assault. (Avr Rachael Allen)

A Canadian Armed Forces officer based in Winnipeg has been charged with sexual assault.

The offence allegedly happened in Kingston. Ont,. while the accused was teaching a military course in July and August of 1996, according to a news release from the Department of National Defence.

The incident wasn't reported to military police until January 2017.

The matter is now under investigation with the accused — a chief warrant officer with 1 Canadian Air Division headquarters — facing the possibility of a court martial.

"The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service seeks to investigate and, where appropriate, lay charges based on factual evidence regardless of when the offence is alleged to have been committed," Lt.-Col. Kevin Cadman, commanding officer for the investigation service, said in a news release.

"Much care is taken to investigate all matters of this nature, historical or otherwise, which is now before the courts."