Another delay in former Kelowna mayor’s sex assault case

The sex assault trial for former Kelowna mayor Colin Basran continues to move ahead at a glacial pace.

Special prosecutor Brock Martland and defence lawyer Lydia Chu told the court on Tuesday that they’d prefer the arraignment hearing be pushed back three weeks, until June 6,  so they can work out some lingering matters.

“We agree at this point that it is appropriate and sensible to adjourn the matter for three weeks in order to permit us to address an issue before the arraignment takes place,” Martland said.

The last time the case was in court Martland told the judge that a delay was needed to work out some disclosure issues. Those, seemingly, have been resolved.

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In December, the B.C. Prosecution Service announced the single charge against Basran for an incident that allegedly occurred in Kelowna in May 2022 when he was mayor of the Okanagan city.

Due to a publication ban that accompanies sexual assault cases, little can be said about the allegations due to the possibility that they may identify Basran’s accuser.

Basran is also banned from speaking to his accuser and three other individuals.

The incident was investigated by Kelowna RCMP and the findings were independently reviewed by the Nelson Police Department before a report to Crown counsel was sent to a special prosecutor, who approved the charge.