A judge has acquitted Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin of sexual assault over an allegation that dates back to 1988.
The allegation stemmed from his time at the military college in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., which the complainant also attended.
The complainant in the case told the court that she is certain "without a doubt" that the perpetrator was Fortin, and her lawyer said she brought the incident to light in 2021, after she retired, due to a fear of career repercussions.
Fortin's lawyer cited inconsistencies between the complainant's testimony and her previous statements to investigators last year, including details of the incident.
A key point for the defence was that while the complainant said she told her ex-boyfriend about the incident right afterward, he told the court that he had no memory of such a conversation.
Fortin was the military officer in charge of the federal government's COVID-19 vaccine rollout until May 2021, when he was removed after the allegation came to light.
NEW: Justice Richard Meredith has acquitted Dany Fortin. He was charged with one case of sexual assault. Justice Meredith says was not convinced without a reasonable doubt that Fortin was the accused in this case.
— Annie Bergeron-Oliver (@AnnieClaireBO) December 5, 2022
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5,2022.
