A Port Coquitlam mosque director found guilty last summer of sexual assault is expected to be sentenced on May 5.
Saadeldin Bahr, known in the community as Dr. Saad, was convicted of assaulting a woman, identified as Z in court filings, at the Masjid Al-Hidayah and Islamic Cultural centre close to four years ago. The incident occurred while he was counselling the victim, who was struggling with depression.
According to B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Crawford's reasons for judgement, following afternoon prayers Bahr and Z went to a room in the upper floor of the mosque, where the assault took place. He told the victim that she had "a bad curse on you and we have to remove it."
Bahr suggested that semen found in the victim's vagina could have come from a toilet seat at the mosque, where he said he had ejaculated earlier in the day. He also said that the victim's DNA, which was found on his boxer shorts, may have been there because the woman put her hands down his pants.
Crawford found Bahr guilty, stating in his reasons for judgement that Bahr's version of events lacked credibility.
Bahr was initially scheduled for a sentencing hearing last November, however the court was told that he had fallen ill and was in hospital. The new date was set on Friday.
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