A man charged with allegedly trying to intimidate a federal drug prosecutor adamantly insists he did no such thing after he and his brother were released on bail from the Brampton courthouse Monday.

“The charge against me is absolutely false,” Omar Badran, 38, wrote in a text message shared by his lawyer, Jordana Goldlist.

He and his younger brother Hamza, 30, stepped into custody over the weekend after Peel police told them they were being charged with intimidation of a justice system participant.

On Friday, federal drug prosecutor David Quayat wrote in a statement to police that he felt the two men, whom he is prosecuting on a cocaine importing matter, were staring at him at the Brampton courthouse.

Quayat also told police he saw the brothers near his vehicle and thought Omar Badran was trying to obtain his licence plate number. Omar Badran said in the text that Quayat is mistaken.

“I did not try to intimidate anyone nor did I obtain a licence plate.” Badran wrote he believes Quayat complained to police because he was miffed that a judge agreed to Goldlist’s request to remove the GPS ankle monitoring bracelet he has worn for two years.

Quayat told the Star on Sunday that suggestion was “nonsense.”

After arranging bail for the brothers, Goldlist said she was thrilled they were released and hopes the case moves swiftly to trial.” The brothers will appear in court again Oct. 9.

Both were released on $10,000 bail and ordered to stay 200 metres away from Quayat except for court as required. They also must each have a surety or lawyer with them when they appear in court.

The Public Prosecution Service of Ontario, Quayat’s employer, declined to comment.

“The Peel Regional Police Service laid the charge and the provincial Crown has carriage of the matter. It would be inappropriate for the PPSC to comment,” a spokeswoman wrote in an email to the Star on Monday.

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