Skip to Main content

12.78°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

May 29, 2024 7:49 PM - The Canadian Press

DNA match leads to conviction 22 years after B.C. sexual assault

Share On

dna-match-leads-to-conviction-22-years-after-b-c-sexual-assault

Richmond RCMP say Christopher Sharafi, also known as Mohammed Mendi Sharafi, was found guilty last October, and in April he was sentenced to five years in prison for the two offences dating back to December 2001.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Police in Metro Vancouver say a DNA match led to a man's arrest and conviction more than 22 years after he broke into a woman's home and sexually assaulted her.

Richmond RCMP say Christopher Sharafi, also known as Mohammed Mendi Sharafi, was found guilty last October, and in April he was sentenced to five years in prison for the two offences dating back to December 2001.

The Mounties say the victim reported waking up to find a man standing in her room, and he then climbed into her bed and assaulted her as she tried to fight back.

They say in a statement that police collected and submitted DNA evidence for analysis, but the suspect remained unidentified until 2015, when the sample matched a known offender in the national DNA databank.

RCMP say Sharafi had been ordered to provide a DNA sample as part of a previous unrelated conviction and the Mounties' forensic laboratory confirmed the match.

They say Sharafi has now been found guilty of break and enter and sexual assault and sentenced to five years in prison for each offence, to be served concurrently.

Latest news

defence-minister-says-he-learned-of-possible-damage-to-canadian-assets-in-kuwait-strike-from-media-report

CanadaMar 19, 2026

Defence minister says he learned of possible damage to Canadian assets in Kuwait strike from media report

Defence Minister David McGuinty says he was unaware of potential damage to Canadian military assets in Kuwait following an Iranian airstrike until a media report raised the issue. Speaking to reporters in Kitchener, McGuinty said he learned about the “situation” while travelling overseas with the prime minister, but declined to confirm whether Canadian equipment or facilities were hit, citing operational security concerns. The Quebec newspaper La Presse reported on March 12 that satellite imagery analysis suggested the Canadian section of Ali Al-Salem Air Base may have sustained damage dur

dozens-of-commercial-vehicles-sidelined-after-burnaby-inspection-finds-safety-violations

Dozens of commercial vehicles sidelined after Burnaby inspection finds safety violations

A targeted commercial vehicle inspection in South Burnaby last month led to more than half of the trucks checked being taken off the road due to safety concerns, according to a police release. The operation, conducted Feb. 25 by the Lower Mainland Commercial Vehicle Enforcement group, took place along Marine Way near Roseberry Avenue. Authorities said the initiative aimed to both educate drivers and enforce provincial safety regulations. According to a release from Burnaby RCMP, officers carried out 67 inspections, identifying 172 violations and issuing 117 tickets. A total of 35 commercial ve

abbotsford-police-arrest-robbery-suspect-minutes-after-gas-station-incident

Abbotsford police arrest robbery suspect minutes after gas station incident

Abbotsford Police say a man has been charged after an alleged robbery at a gas station Tuesday morning in the 2000 block of Clearbrook Road. According to an Abbotsford Police Department news release, officers were called at about 9:21 a.m. after a suspect reportedly threatened staff with a weapon and fled with cash and merchandise. Police say officers arrived quickly and began searching the area for the suspect, who had left on a bicycle. The release states a traffic officer located the suspect within minutes. When police attempted to stop him, the suspect allegedly refused, leading to a brief

canada-to-spend-307m-on-new-modular-rifles-to-replace-aging-army-weapons

CanadaMar 19, 2026

Canada to spend $307M on new modular rifles to replace aging army weapons

The federal government has approved a $307 million contract to purchase 30,000 new modular rifles for the Canadian Army, replacing weapons that have been in service for more than three decades. According to a federal procurement announcement, the rifles will be supplied by Colt Canada under an initial three-year agreement. The deal includes an option to acquire an additional 35,000 rifles beyond the initial order. Defence procurement Secretary of State Stephen Fuhr said the purchase is intended to modernize frontline equipment and address long-standing concerns about the aging C7 and C8 rifles

pentagon-submits-request-for-additional-200-billion-tied-to-iran-conflict-official-says

WorldMar 19, 2026

Pentagon submits request for additional $200 billion tied to Iran conflict, official says

The U.S. Department of Defense has submitted a request to the White House seeking an additional $200 billion in funding tied to the ongoing Iran conflict, according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal deliberations, said the request has not yet been formally transmitted to Congress for consideration. It remains unclear whether the White House will advance the proposal. According to the official, the funding request would come on top of supplemental defence spending approved last year as part

Related News

Dozens of commercial vehicles sidelined after Burnaby inspection finds safety violations

Dozens of commercial vehicles sidelined after Burnaby inspection finds safety violations

A targeted commercial vehicle inspection in South Burnaby last month led to more than half of the trucks checked being taken off the road due to safety concerns, according to a police release. The operation, conducted Feb. 25 by the Lower Mainland Commercial Vehicle Enforcement group, took place along Marine Way near Roseberry Avenue. Authorities said the initiative aimed to both educate drivers and enforce provincial safety regulations. According to a release from Burnaby RCMP, officers carried out 67 inspections, identifying 172 violations and issuing 117 tickets. A total of 35 commercial ve

Abbotsford police arrest robbery suspect minutes after gas station incident

Abbotsford police arrest robbery suspect minutes after gas station incident

Abbotsford Police say a man has been charged after an alleged robbery at a gas station Tuesday morning in the 2000 block of Clearbrook Road. According to an Abbotsford Police Department news release, officers were called at about 9:21 a.m. after a suspect reportedly threatened staff with a weapon and fled with cash and merchandise. Police say officers arrived quickly and began searching the area for the suspect, who had left on a bicycle. The release states a traffic officer located the suspect within minutes. When police attempted to stop him, the suspect allegedly refused, leading to a brief

B.C. population declines 0.4 per cent in late 2025 as non-permanent resident numbers fall

B.C. population declines 0.4 per cent in late 2025 as non-permanent resident numbers fall

British Columbia’s population declined by 0.4 per cent in the final three months of 2025, according to new data released by Statistics Canada, driven largely by a drop in non-permanent residents. Statistics Canada reports that over the full year, B.C.’s population fell by about 41,000 people – roughly equivalent to the population of Mission. The agency attributes much of the decline to a reduction in non-permanent residents, which decreased by 6.7 per cent in the fourth quarter alone. Ontario and British Columbia both recorded overall population declines of 0.7 per cent in 2025, reflecti

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital