Warning: This story might have an effect on those that have skilled sexual assault or know somebody affected by it.
A northwestern Ontario pharmacist was suspended from practising for a yr and fined $10,000 on Thursday after admitting to sexually abusing a affected person.
Ali Yehya’s Ontario Faculty of Pharmacists (OCP) case pertains to the alleged sexual abuse of two sufferers when he was working as a pharmacist and designated pharmacy supervisor.
The dates of the allegations, pharmacy title and names of the sufferers have been redacted within the Specified Allegations of Skilled Misconduct, which seek advice from the people as “Affected person 1” and “Affected person 2”.
Yehya’s admittance on Thursday pertains to Affected person 1.
Yehya was suspended Thursday for a yr after admitting to the Ontario Faculty of Pharmacists that he sexually abused a affected person. The OCP additionally withdrew one other allegation. (Fb)
In accordance with the OCP allegation paperwork, Yehya is accused of partaking “in an inappropriate romantic and/or sexual relationship that included kissing, touching of a sexual nature, and/or remarks of a romantic and sexual nature.”
Yehya faces a 12-month suspension of his licence. He was additionally ordered to finish two programs and pay the school $10,000 for prices associated to the listening to. Yehya shall be prohibited from appearing as a chosen supervisor at any pharmacy whereas the situations are in impact.
It was additionally alleged Yehya “engaged in harassment and/or sexual harassment” towards Affected person 2 by “touching and/or trying to the touch her inappropriately,” making sexual feedback and “making vexatious feedback or partaking in conduct that was recognized or ought fairly to have been recognized to be unwelcome.”
The OCP withdrew the allegations in relation to Affected person 2 as a result of it was unable to contact that individual.
Not works at pharmacy in query
A publication ban put in place throughout Thursday’s listening to protects the identification of the 2 sufferers. It additionally prohibits CBC from sharing the title and placement of the pharmacy the place Yehya was practising when the allegations arose.
In a pre-written assertion learn aloud through the Thursday listening to, Yehya mentioned he regretted his actions and deliberate to adjust to the school’s orders. CBC has reached out to Yehya through his lawyer for remark.
Yehya was beforehand charged criminally with sexual assault in Machin Township, however was acquitted in a July 2024 trial. It was alleged Yehya dedicated sexual assault in Machin Township between Nov. 15 and Dec. 25, 2022. The choose mentioned the proof submitted raised an affordable doubt on the allegations.
Yehya used to have his personal pharmacy within the Toronto space however the enterprise failed, after which he developed melancholy and was pressured to seek for work as a reduction pharmacist all through the province, mentioned his lawyer through the listening to Thursday.
He was beforehand investigated by the OCP in 2018 for not following acceptable pharmacy closure procedures and was required to finish a remediation program.
The file on Yehya’s OCP profile says the panel noticed “Mr. Yehya was locked out of the pharmacy by the owner throughout their industrial dispute and that affected person information and drugs, together with narcotic medicine, managed substances and benzodiazepines, have been accessible by members of the general public.”
After the 2018 OCP disciplinary proceedings impacted his employability, Yehya labored as a labourer when he was unable to search out pharmacy work, in line with a civil court docket choice printed in September 2024. With a purpose to fund his authorized bills for his first OCP disciplinary listening to, “he was pressured to take work [as a pharmacist] in northern Ontario,” mentioned the choice.
Yehya has pursued a civil go well with in opposition to the landlords. Court docket paperwork present he sought $3.5 million in damages for the alleged wrongful termination of his pharmacy’s industrial lease.
Assist is on the market for anybody who has been sexually assaulted or is affected by these experiences. In the event you’re in instant hazard or concern to your security or that of others round you, please name 911.
Listed below are some assist assets:
Northwestern Ontario:
Fay Peterson Home, Thunder Bay: Name 807-345-0450 or textual content 807-700-5011 for twenty-four/7 disaster counsellors, info and referrals for ladies and ladies roughly 16+. Additionally affords 20 weeks of free counselling for survivors of any sort of sexual violence. Kenora Sexual Assault Centre: Name 1-800-565-6161 for twenty-four/7 disaster line. In-person drop in on the Centre Monday via Friday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Regional Well being Sciences Centre – Sexual Assault/Home Violence Therapy Centre: Name (807) 684-6751 for well being companies and session for survivors of sexual assault and home violence. Telephones staffed Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to five p.m. Providers are additionally accessible 24 hours within the emergency division. Dryden Regional Well being Centre – Sexual Assault / Home Violence Program: Name (807) 223-7427 for emergency and follow-up care after sexual assault or intimate associate abuse. Workplace open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Providers are additionally accessible 24 hours within the emergency division.
Ontario-wide:
Beendigen Talk4Healing: Indigenous ladies can name or textual content 1-855-554-HEAL for twenty-four/7 disaster help and assets via speak, textual content and reside on-line chat. Assist accessible in 14 Indigenous languages together with Anishinaabemowin, Oji-Cree, Cree and Inuktitut. Assist Providers for male survivors of sexual abuse: Name 866-887-0015 for twenty-four/7 multilingual help service for male survivors of sexual abuse, each latest and historic.
Canada-wide:
