The Saint John Law Courts building. Image: Brad Perry

A New Brunswick RCMP officer was charged Tuesday with sexual assault after an investigation by the Nova Scotia Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT).

Saint John police said they received a complaint against an RCMP officer on April 29 involving criminal allegations that occurred in the city.

About a month later, on May 31, the police force referred the matter to SiRT for further investigation.

“It was alleged that the male officer had committed a sexual assault and an assault on a female known to him,” SiRT said in a news release on Tuesday.

Const. Osama Ibrahim has been charged with sexual assault, assault, the use of or threaten to use a weapon during an assault, choking during an assault, and breach of trust.

It is alleged the offences were committed between Dec. 1, 2021, and Feb. 23, 2022.

Ibrahim works at the Western Valley Region detachment.

In a statement, New Brunswick RCMP said the officer was placed on administrative duties effective Feb. 22 as a result of a separate code of conduct complaint currently being investigated by the RCMP Professional Standards Unit.

He was suspended with pay, as per the RCMP Act, effective June 3, as a result of the SiRT investigation which has also resulted in additional code of conduct allegations.

“As the employer, the RCMP will proceed with appropriate actions pending the outcome of the legal proceedings,” said the statement.

SiRT is an investigative agency, independent of the police, whose mandate is to investigate matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and domestic violence or other matters of significant public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer.