

Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





A 24-year-old male teacher at a private Islamic school in Scarborough is facing charges after a 10-year-old student was allegedly driven off school property and sexually assaulted earlier this month.

Toronto police say that on Feb. 16 at about 11:15 a.m., a 10-year-old boy was taken from the grounds of The Islamic Foundation of Toronto School at Nugget Avenue and Markham Road.

Investigators allege the boy was driven to Neilson Road and McLevin Avenue in the Malvern area and sexually assaulted.

After the assault, the child was driven back to school.

On Tuesday, police arrested a suspect identified as Saleh Momla.

He was charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference.

None of the charges have been proven in court.

Const. Jenniferjit Sidhu said Momla’s image was released as investigators believe there are other victims who have not yet come forward.

Islamic Foundation of Toronto spokesperson Yusuf Badat said the accused was employed at the school in a program where children memorize the Quran. The victim was enrolled in that program.

Badat said that once the school was made aware of the allegations, Momla was banned from school grounds.

He later resigned.

Sidhu said the school distributed letters to go home with each student after they were made aware of the allegations.

Badat said the letters urged any child who has been victimized to contact police immediately.