Warrant issued in human trafficking case

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on August 26, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

One of several men charged a year ago in relation to human trafficking and other sex-related offences has pleaded not guilty to his charges and is preparing to stand trial.

Lethbridge lawyer Marcus Mueller entered the pleas Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to two charges each of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault, and single charges of sexual contact with a child, sexual counsel of a child, sexual assault of a person under the age of 16, trafficking in persons, and being party to sexual assault,.

Mueller, who was acting as agent for Lethbridge lawyer Scott Hadford, also told court the accused, Chtewi Fadi, has chosen to be tried by a Court of Queen’s Bench judge without a preliminary hearing in relation to one count of sexual assault. That matter has been adjourned to criminal appearance court in Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench on Sept. 26. Fadi will be tried by a Queen’s Bench judge on the other charges, as well, but he has chosen to have a preliminary inquiry on those matters. They return to provincial court today at the Case Management Office to schedule a one day hearing.

Another accused, Meriton Krasniqi, was also scheduled to be in court Thursday, but he failed to show up and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

During a court hearing June 30 Calgary lawyer Cory Wilson was allowed to get off the record after he explained Krasniqi refused to reply to his attempts to contact him. Wilson said his only contact with Krasniqi had been through his girlfriend, but she refused to provide him with the accused’s phone number, and stopped communicating with him, as well.

Despite the lack of communication, Krasniqi attended court in person June 30 and was instructed to retain a new lawyer as quickly as possible in case the trial dates of Sept. 9, 22 and 23 need to be rescheduled. The trial was vacated after Krasniqi failed to attend court Thursday, prompting the judge to vacate the trial and issue the warrant.

Krasniqi pleaded not guilty Jan. 7 to charges of sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, sexual assault causing bodily harm, sexual assault/party to offence with another person, aggravated sexual assault, trafficking in persons under the age of 18, and two counts of sexual assault.

Police alleged that eight men and two youth from Lethbridge and Calgary selected and groomed a 15-year-old girl and took her to specific locations where sex offences occurred. The same individuals had also engaged in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl, and three additional complainants came forward later in connection with the investigation.

The remaining adult accused, Khalid Alsaid, Abdullah Mohammed, Mohammad Neiribani, Mahmoud Neirabani, Mohammad Zafari and Ziyaad Noor, have either scheduled trial dates or are preparing to set trial dates. One of the youths is set for trial in November, while the other pleaded guilty in March to charges of sexual assault against two girls, and was given a two-year deferred custody and supervision order. 

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