Edmonton, AB (Edmonton Journal) – Five charges of assault and one of forcible confinement laid last year against a former RCMP officer have been withdrawn.
Cpl. Kelly Gulaga, who worked in Edmonton but lived in St. Albert, was charged in August 2009 and suspended with pay shortly afterward.
Since then, Crown prosecutors have dropped those charges for lack of evidence, according to Alberta Justice.
“The evidence didn’t support the charges,” said a department spokeswoman.
Gulaga was investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, or ASIRT, which investigates serious allegations against police officers. After ASIRT charged Gulaga, the RCMP officer filed a complaint against the investigative team with the Edmonton Police Service.
That complaint, filed in December 2009, was against three EPS officers seconded to ASIRT, as well as others in that office.
EPS Spokeswoman Karen Carlson said the professional standards branch is looking into the ASIRT investigation to determine if there is any validity to the complaint. Some of the allegations are criminal, while others are about internal procedures, Carlson said.
That investigation is ongoing, but has nothing to do with the withdrawn charges against Gulaga, according to Alberta Justice.
Gulaga still faces three firearms-related charges. Since the charges were laid, he has resigned from the RCMP
The case will reconvene on July 5.
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