(Gatineau) The complainant in the sexual assault trial of Major-General Dany Fortin, who led the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign, has “no doubt” about the identity of the person who allegedly assaulted her in 1988.
Posted at 12:35 p.m.
During the conclusion of her testimony, at the Gatineau courthouse, on Tuesday morning, the complainant dismissed the thesis of the defense lawyer, who had pointed out inconsistencies between her testimony before the court on Monday and what she had told an investigator last year.
The complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, said on Tuesday that 34 years later she still had “nightmares” and a “recurring vision” of the assault. She maintained that while she cannot be 100% sure of some of the details, she has absolutely no doubts about the identity of her attacker.
The woman told the court on Monday that she woke up one night in her barracks at the Military College of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, realizing that a man had taken her hand and was using it to masturbate. . The other hand of the man was on his chest, under the sheets, she testified.
She told the court that she opened her eyes and recognized the accused, then pushed him away and told Mr. Fortin to leave, which he eventually did.
Defense counsel for Major-General Fortin had already warned that she would vigorously contest the certainty of the complainant in her formal identification of the accused.
The Major-General maintains his innocence regarding this criminal charge.
He is also challenging in Federal Court the federal government’s decision to remove him from leading the national campaign to distribute vaccines to the provinces in May 2021. He notably accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other senior government officials of having dismissed it for purely political reasons.
The Federal Court rejected his request for reinstatement last year, but Mr. Fortin is appealing this decision. His appeal is due to be heard early next month.