Cross-examination begins in trial of Regina doctor facing sexual assault charges
CBC
WARNING: This article contains graphic content and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
The Crown began its cross-examination Thursday at the trial of a former Regina doctor facing seven charges of sexual assault.
Sylvester Ukabam, 76, is accused of inappropriately touching five of his female patients between 2010 and 2017. He gave up his medical licence in December 2018.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His judge-only trial at Court of Queen's Bench in Regina began on Jan. 10.
Crown prosecutor Jackie Lane began Thursday's cross-examination by challenging Ukabam's record-keeping process and memory, asking him about how he kept patient details and what he remembered about the patients who filed complaints against him.
Lane pointed to one instance when one of Ukabam's alleged victims had coverage dropped for a drug he'd prescribed to her. Ukabam wrote a letter to the province asking for it to be reapproved, noting the woman was a single mother.
"But she's not, is she?" asked Lane.
"That was an error," Ukabam replied.
"OK, so your records aren't perfect," Lane said. "You made an error."
"I think this is a minor error," said Ukabam.
"So is it fair to say that you have no strong or real memory of the women who accused you of sexually assaulting them except [two of the alleged victims]?" Lane asked.
"Not all of them," Ukabam replied. "Most of them I've seen for many years. And there's no way I can keep the memory of all of them."
Another woman alleges that during an appointment in June 2014, Ukabam inserted a gloved finger into her vagina.
Ukabam denies that happened, but said he wrote a letter to the woman's family physician to detail the appointment and update her condition.
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