National

DNA match leads to conviction 22 years after B.C. sexual assault

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 May, 2024 11:12 AM

Police in Metro Vancouver say a DNA match led to a man's arrest and conviction more than 22 years after he broke into a woman's home and sexually assaulted her.

Richmond RCMP say Christopher Sharafi, also known as Mohammed Mendi Sharafi, was found guilty last October, and in April he was sentenced to five years in prison for the two offences dating back to December 2001.

The Mounties say the victim reported waking up to find a man standing in her room, and he then climbed into her bed and assaulted her as she tried to fight back.

They say in a statement that police collected and submitted DNA evidence for analysis, but the suspect remained unidentified until 2015, when the sample matched a known offender in the national DNA databank.

RCMP say Sharafi had been ordered to provide a DNA sample as part of a previous unrelated conviction and the Mounties' forensic laboratory confirmed the match.

They say Sharafi has now been found guilty of break and enter and sexual assault and sentenced to five years in prison for each offence, to be served concurrently.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Liberal MPs meet to prep for fall sitting, as Trudeau stares down slumping polls

Liberal MPs are gathering in London, Ont., to plan their strategy as the party grapples with rising discontentment toward Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Polls show the Liberals have sunken to their lowest levels of support since taking government in 2015, largely to the benefit of the Conservatives.

Liberal MPs meet to prep for fall sitting, as Trudeau stares down slumping polls

Canadian accused in U.S. of stealing cash using sleight-of-hand techniques

A Canadian man has been indicted in a U.S. federal court in St. Louis after being accused of using sleight-of-hand methods to steal more than $64,000 from more than 40 Walmart stores across the U.S. Thirty-seven-year-old Mohsen Akbari was indicted August 16th on one count of wire fraud and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

Canadian accused in U.S. of stealing cash using sleight-of-hand techniques

Premier Eby 'white-hot' angry over Chinatown stabbing suspect's release from hospital

British Columbia Premier David Eby says he is "white-hot" angry over the day release of a man from a forensic psychiatric hospital before he was arrested for a triple stabbing in Vancouver's Chinatown. Eby says the decision to release the man boggles the mind, and he wants to get to the bottom of how it occurred.

Premier Eby 'white-hot' angry over Chinatown stabbing suspect's release from hospital

Health Canada approves updated Moderna vaccine for COVID-19

Health Canada has authorized the use of an updated Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 for all Canadians over the age of six months. The new vaccine targets the XBB.1.5 variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Health Canada approves updated Moderna vaccine for COVID-19

Delayed by plane troubles, Canada's PM Trudeau finally heading home from India

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally left India on Tuesday after technical issues with a government aircraft delayed his departure by two days. Trudeau and the Canadian delegation that attended the G20 leaders' summit in New Delhi was set to depart for Ottawa on Sunday, but the plane was grounded over an issue discovered during pre-flight checks.

Delayed by plane troubles, Canada's PM Trudeau finally heading home from India

Teacher in Creston charged with multiple sex offences against two students.

A British Columbia high school teacher has been charged with multiple sexual offences against two students, as well as harassment and extortion. Mounties say a teacher from Kootenay River Secondary School in Creston was charged on Sept. 8 and has been released with numerous conditions, including a ban on contact with the alleged victims.