Canadian authorities are reportedly searching for Mohammed Zuraibi al-Zoabi, a Saudi citizen and student at Cape Breton University accused of sexual assault after he failed to show up for a court hearing.
Mohammed faces charges of sexual assault, uttering threats, assault, forcible confinement, criminal harassment, dangerous driving and assault with a weapon (a vehicle) in separate trials related to two incidents that occurred in between 2016 and 2017.
According to local police who spoke with the Chronicle Herald, al-Zoabi's passport was given as collateral when the 28-year-old student posted his $37,500 bail in cash, provided by the Saudi Arabian embassy.
They have done this before."
"It should be impossible (for him to leave the country or enter without a passport) unless Saudi Arabia furnished him with a Saudi travel document," Lee Cohen, a Halifax-based immigration lawyer, told the Chronicle Herald
Asked by the paper whether he was still in Canada, al-Zoabi said "probably not … I can't tell you that", adding that he wouldn't come back for the trial because he feared they might be "unfair".
Interestingly enough, the case does not end here as between March 2012 and April 2016, al-Zoabi also racked up numerous infractions ranging from speeding, driving without a valid license, driving uninsured, unregistered and uninspected vehicles.
Those unpaid fees currently amount to $68,967.
The Saudi Arabian embassy did not respond to a Chronicle Herald request for comment on al-Zoabi.
Canada - Saudi relations will deteriorate
The extreme likelihood that the Saudi embassy has helped an individual wanted for sexual assault will further destabilize the already contentious relationship between Saudi Arabia and Canada.
The Saudi state has already pulled investment, students, and limited imports from Canada as a result of the nations demands for the return of Raif Badawi.
As well, recently, Canada agreed to grant asylum to Rahaf Alqunun, a Saudi teenager fleeing abuse from her family.
The actual secret removal of a wanted criminal will not only quickly anger the traditionally conservative base which opposes the nation's actions, but also will likely force Justin Trudeau to respond, or risk having the last shred of credibility when it comes to defending victims all but disappear.
Perhaps most importantly though, this action shows that Riyadh is still a belligerent nation, attempting to bypass foreign laws and execute their laws even in foreign lands, as less than a year has passed since the international outcry from the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.
What do you think about this story? Join the conversation by commenting below!
Join and support independent free thinkers!
We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.
Remind me next month
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy
