By Canadian Press

Sex assault charge dropped against former Kelowna, B.C., mayor Colin Basran

Jun 22, 2023 | 10:59 AM

VICTORIA — A charge of sexual assault laid against the former mayor of Kelowna, B.C., has been stayed by a special prosecutor.

The B.C. Prosecution Service announced in a statement Thursday that the charge laid against Colin Basran last October has been dropped.  

The service says special prosecutor Brock Martland was appointed to the investigation of a sexual assault alleged to have happened in May 2022, when Basran was the sitting mayor. 

The statement says Martland made the decision after receiving further information from counsel for Basran and police investigators. 

The service says Martland concluded after a careful review of all the information that the standard for proceeding with the criminal change could no longer be met. 

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The two-part test for approval of criminal charges by the prosecution service includes the substantial likelihood of conviction and if the public interest requires a prosecution. 

Kelowna RCMP conducted the initial investigation into the allegations, which were then reviewed by the Nelson Police Department before the file went to the special prosecutor who then approved the charge. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2023. 

The Canadian Press