Former radio show host, Jian Ghomeshi, is due to face his accusers in court today over charges of sexual assault.
The musician, writer and CBS broadcaster, who used to play for folk-pop band, Moxy Fruvous, was charged with four counts of sexual assault in 2014, after a total of 15 women and one man came forward with their accusations.
The charges included a physical violence charge for an incidence of choking, and cases filed by four separate women who accused him of sexual assault, The Guardian reported.
Ghomeshi, who previously hosted the CBC Radio national arts magazine show, “Q”, was terminated by CBC in October 2014 following a barrage of sexual assault complaints which dated back from 2010.
“Q” producer, Kathryn Borel, requested assistance from her union, alleging Ghomeshi’s sexual and emotional abuse which reportedly began back in 2007, CBC said.
While Borel declined to press a formal grievance complaint to begin a union arbitration over the case, her allegations gave rise to an advisory issued by the University of Western Ontario warning journalism students to refrain from applying for internships at “Q” due to rumors of Ghomeshi’s inappropriate behavior.
More accusations of “unwanted physical advances” came in 2013 from journalist Carla Ciccone, followed by a 2014 Twitter account with sexual abuse accusations from a University media graduates.
The CBC had earlier launched an investigations on the allegations and uncovered consistent stories of abuse and other “violent sex acts,” including slapping, punching, biting, smothering and choking, all of which Ghomeshi dismissed as “fantasy”, the Toronto Star wrote.
Gnomeshi pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and choking last October. He will be appearing at the Old City Hall courtroom in Toronto today for the first trial where he will face the number of women who have filed cases against him.
