K'naan acquitted of sexual assault in Quebec City court

Somali-Canadian rapper K'naan, born Keinan Abdi Warsame, has been acquitted of sexual assault charges by a Quebec City court. The verdict follows a case involving an alleged incident that occurred in 2010 during a music festival in Quebec City.

The accuser testified that she was sexually assaulted in a hotel room after meeting the artist online. K'naan denied the allegations, maintaining that the encounter was consensual. In her ruling, Judge Julie Roy noted that while she did not fully believe the artist's account, both versions of the event were plausible and aligned on several key details.

Ultimately, the judge determined there was reasonable doubt, stating there was insufficient evidence to convict him beyond a reasonable doubt. The complaint had been filed with Montreal police in May 2022, more than a decade after the alleged event.