Ex-Calgary pastor accused of 50-60 incidents of sexual abuse against a child
Posted Apr 20, 2015 6:10 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A man who was longtime pastor at a Calgary church has been charged with a sexual assault dating back 20 years.
The Calgary Police Child Abuse Unit has charged 52-year-old Wagdi Yousif Iskander with sexual assault and sexual interference with a child under 14.
The alleged incidents started during counselling sessions in 1994 and Sgt. Robert Rutledge said the abuse continued for two years.
“We’re looking at approximately 50 to 60 incidents of sexual touching, masturbation, molesting over the course of when victim was 11 to 13,” Rutledge explained.
At the time, the accused was the pastor of the Arabic Baptist Church, which used space at Cambrian Heights Baptist Church in the northwest.
Rutledge said Iskander has not been a pastor since 2012.
Police say victim came forward in 1996, but the family chose not to pursue the matter before the courts because of the victim’s age and opted to let the church deal with the situation.
But then in 2012, the victim and the family decided to come forward again.
“The victim is almost 20 years older at this point, safe, has had no contact with the alleged offender for many, many years,” Rutledge said. “Some victims need that time period to feel safe or to have that family support, the support from the community.”
“No matter when they come forward, whether it’s historical or yesterday or today, we are certainly willing to listen to them and support them and conduct investigations.”
When asked if any other potential victims have come forward, all Rutledge would say is they are talking to a number of people.
Iskander is well known in Calgary and Edmonton for helping Christians convert from Islam and according to his biography on Truth Unlocked, he came to Canada in 1988 and has pastored in both cities.
Originally from the Sudan, Iskander faced a death sentence when he changed religions in the early 1980s, but was able to escape the country, according to multiple online biographies.
The Arabic Baptist Church is now known as the Arabic Alliance Church and uses space at the Foothills Alliance Church.
Requests for comment from the church have yet to be returned at this time.
Police say for more information on how to recognize signs of child abuse, go to the website for the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre at www.sheldonkennedycac.ca.
Anyone with information on the above case is also asked to contact the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers anonymously using any of the following methods:
TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
TEXT: 274637
