Former Kelowna, B.C., mayor Colin Basran is scheduled to be back in court on the charge of sexual assault in the spring.
Tuesday marked the second court appearance for Basran, though, like the first, he didn’t attend in person, which is standard in the early days of a court process.
During the next court date, April 4, Crown counsel should have turned over a signed disclosure of information on the charge, and the next steps will be laid out.
In December, the B.C. Prosecution Service announced a single charge against Basran for an incident that allegedly occurred in Kelowna in May 2022, when he was still mayor of the Okanagan city.
Brock Martland, a Vancouver lawyer in private practice, was appointed special prosecutor in the case.
The appointment of a special prosecutor is intended to avoid any perception of improper influence in cases brought against public officials, said the prosecution service in a statement.
Due to a publication ban that accompanies sexual assault cases, little can be said about the allegations due to the possibility of publicly identifying Basran’s accuser.
In an undertaking filed in court after his arrest, Basran isn’t allowed to speak to his accuser and three other individuals.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, find available supports at the ‘Getting Help‘ page of the Ending Violence Association of Canada.