Const. Charles Kwatei Quartey, 59, of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, was not present in Kentville provincial court on Sept. 26, as he earlier filed designation of counsel to be represented by lawyer David Bright.
Quartey elected trial by Supreme Court judge alone in December 2016. His preliminary inquiry was scheduled for July 6 but was postponed to Feb. 14, 2018, at the request of the defence.
The matter was put forward to Sept. 26 for a status report, when the preliminary inquiry was again rescheduled, this time to May 28, 2018. The February date previously scheduled will now be used for a status report.
A publication ban protects the identity of the alleged victim. Quartey is charged with committing a sexual assault on a woman in Auburn between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 1995. The RCMP’s Southwest Nova Major Crime Unit laid the charge against Quartey in July 2016. The charge has not been proven in court.
While dealing with an unrelated matter in July 2015, information came forward to RCMP members that Quartey had sexually assaulted a woman while posted to the Bridgetown detachment in 1995.
The charge relates to Quartey’s conduct with a woman he met during the course of his duties as a police officer. It’s alleged that he touched the woman in a sexual manner without her consent.
Quartey, who is posted to the Northwest Territories, was placed on administrative duties in November 2015 and has been suspended from duty since June 17, 2016.
According to a news release issued by the RCMP after the charge was laid, Quartey will remain off duty until the criminal charge against him is resolved, when his duty status will be reviewed. Two internal Code of Conduct investigations were undertaken in relation to Quartey’s conduct.
Quartey, who has been with the RCMP for 25 years, was assigned to the Northwest Territories Relief Unit since July 2014.
