THE Canadian Forces National Investigation Service on Tuesday charged a senior Canadian Armed Forces officer with one count of sexual assault under the Criminal Code.

The charge relates to a reported assault against a civilian in Kingston while the accused was a student at the Royal Military College of Canada in the fall of 1999.

Lieutenant-Colonel Stephan Popowych, a Canadian Army staff officer working with the Directorate of Capability Integration at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa faces one count of sexual assault under section 271 of the Criminal Code, punishable under section 130 of the National Defence Act.

The matter is now proceeding in accordance with the military justice system for possible court martial at a date and location still to be determined.

“Regardless of when an assault is reported to have taken place, the Canadian Forces Military Police actively pursues all allegations. This charge reflects the effectiveness of our team to investigate reports of sexual assault, support victims and bring to prosecution those persons responsible for criminal sexual offences,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Bolduc, Commanding Officer, Canadian Forces National Investigation Service

Quick Facts

· The Canadian Armed Forces takes all allegations of sexual misconduct very seriously and, in all cases, action is taken to determine facts, conduct applicable investigations, analyse available evidence and, if warranted, lay the appropriate charges.

· The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is a unit within the independent Canadian Forces Military Police Group whose mandate is to investigate serious and sensitive matters in relation to Department of National Defence property, Department of National Defence employees and Canadian Armed Forces personnel serving in Canada and around the world.