By Canadian Press

Immigration minister’s husband found not criminally responsible in assault case

Mar 31, 2017 | 7:15 AM

HALIFAX — The husband of Nova Scotia’s immigration minister is undergoing a 45-day psychiatric assessment after being declared not criminally responsible for allegedly assaulting, threatening and choking his wife on New Year’s Eve.

Chris Hansen of the Public Prosecution Service said Friday that Maroun Diab was deemed not criminally responsible after undergoing an earlier psychiatric evaluation.

The results of the current assessment will be provided to the Criminal Review Board, which will decide how to proceed, she said.

“He was sent for a 45-day assessment and then he will come back to the Criminal Review Board and they will decide the next steps,” she said.

Diab had been released on a series of conditions in January, including one prohibiting him from having any contact with his wife, Lena Diab, and two other people. His lawyer, Mark Knox, said at the time that he was later admitted to hospital under the province’s Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act.

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He also faced two counts of threatening two other people.

Halifax police said he was arrested early New Year’s Day after they received a call shortly before midnight from the Diabs’ home near Mount Saint Vincent University.

Lena Diab later described the incident as a “very tragic, sad, private and personal matter,” and publicly thanked the community for supporting her and her family of four children and one grandchild.

Diab’s office referred questions Friday to the Liberal caucus office, which did not respond to requests for comment.

Lena Diab, a lawyer and business owner, was appointed Nova Scotia’s first female justice minister after winning office in October 2013, and was named to the immigration portfolio in 2015.

Premier Stephen McNeil has declined to comment on the case, except to say in January that his “love and support” was with his colleague.

The Department of Justice website says that under the Criminal Code someone found not criminally responsible could receive an absolute discharge, a conditional discharge or be kept in hospital.

The site says the board bases its decision on the need to protect the public, the mental condition of the accused and the accused’s reintegration into society.

The Canadian Press