A Lethbridge massage therapist was sentenced to 90 days in prison on Friday, after being found guilty of one count of sexual assault in November 2020.
Cyprien Mudenge will serve his sentence intermittently on the weekends. He’s also been sentenced to one year probation.
The crown asked for the higher end of a six month to one year sentence. The defense asked for three to six months, but pushed for 90 days to be served intermittently due to family circumstances.
During the sentencing hearing, the defense raised concerns over Mudenge’s daughter and her care if he were to go serve his full sentence in prison. They continued she is disabled and requires 24/7 care and support, a task Mudenge has taken on due to him currently not working.
His wife works over 60 hours a week to support the family and cannot provide the support their daughter needs.
Justice Johnna Kubik said she took his family situation into consideration when handing down her sentence, adding that “sexual assault is a serious and grave offense.”
Mudenge is to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim, cannot come within 250 meters of her residence, must attend counselling, provide a court-ordered DNA sample and is on a firearms prohibition for 10 years.
The incident occurred in November of 2018 when Mudenge inappropriately touched a woman during her massage.
It was the first time the victim, whose name is protected under a publication ban, had received a massage from the now 56-year-old.
During the trial last year, court heard Mudenge massaged the woman without a top sheet and exposed her bottom, touching her backside, breasts and vagina.