TORONTO – A Toronto teacher was charged Wednesday with 42 sex-related offences.
Toronto Police allege Christian Kpodjie, 53, sexually and verbally assaulted several students between September 2012 and March 2013.
The accused is a Grade 4 and Grade 6 French teacher at Inglewood Heights Jr. Public School, and has been working for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) since 2007.
He received his teaching credentials in Ghana, West Africa and has worked at four other schools in the TDSB.
Kpodjie worked at Humberwood Downs Junior Middle Academy in 2007, Derrydown Public School in 2009, and both Chester Le Junior Public School and Gateway Public School in 2010.
TDSB officials say all of the charges laid so far stem from his seven months at Inglewood Heights Public School.
Kpodjie surrendered to police and was charged with 16 counts of sexual assault, 12 counts of sexual exploitation and 14 counts of assault.
He is currently suspended with pay, pending the outcome of the case.
“If there’s any risk at all to the children, we have to remove that risk,” TDSB counsel Grant Bowers said.
The accused appeared in court on Wednesday.
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