It’s been over a month since two Vancouver-area police officers became trapped in Cuba, their passports seized and one of them accused of sexual assault.
One is an officer with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD); he’s the subject of allegations brought forward by a 17-year-old girl from Ontario, who said she was sexually assaulted near the beach town of Varadero.
The other is an officer with the Port Moody Police Department (PMPD); he’s considered a key witness.
WATCH: Two Lower Mainland police officers remain in Cuba after assault allegations
The pair are caught up in a criminal justice system that looks at sexual assault two ways: it can be a rape or lewd abuse, said Pedro Pablo Isla Canizares, who has 30 years of experience as a civil lawyer in Cuba.
Charges, he said, are only laid after an investigation is completed.
No charges have been laid yet in this case.
READ MORE: Vancouver police officer detained in Cuba for allegedly sexually assaulting 17-year-old girl
Canizares said an investigative body has 60 days to present its findings to a prosecutor, but this can be extended depending on the case’s complexity, as well as the investigative actions that are involved in the process in question.
Investigators must first arrest the accused, then carry out a health test on a victim.
That means the alleged victim must be taken to a legal doctor in cases of rape, because that’s where it’s determined if there are signs that a violent act has taken place.
Both officers were detained and released, but they’re not able to leave the country.
They’re living in a monthly rental off Varadero’s tourist beach strip.
Port Moody Mayor Mike Clay told Global News that the family of the officer from that city has gone down to visit him in Cuba and hasn’t encountered any problems.
Clay said the officer, while distraught over his inability to leave the country, is confident that he will be found not guilty if he’s treated fairly.
The Canadian consulate in Varadero previously said it could not comment on the case due to privacy laws.
The alleged victim, meanwhile, has apparently returned to Ontario.
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