Warrant issued by Cape Breton court for Saudi national

SYDNEY, N.S. — Yet another arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for a Saudi national who failed to attend court for a trial as the Crown served notice it intends to seek forfeiture of $45,000 posted for bail.
Mohammed Zuraibi Alzoabi, 28, whose court file lists addresses in Sydney and Westmount, is charged with seven counts of breaching court orders and single counts of sexual assault, assault, forcible confinement, uttering a threat, criminal harassment, assault with a weapon (a vehicle) and dangerous driving. The offences are alleged to have occurred in 2016 and 2017 in Sydney.
The accused was committed to trial on some of the offences and the others were scheduled for a preliminary hearing.
A previous warrant, for failing to attend, was issued in provincial court and a second such warrant was issued Tuesday in Supreme Court.
During Tuesday’s court hearing, prosecutor John MacDonald served notice that the Crown will seek to have the entire amount posted for bail forfeited now that Alzoabi has twice failed to attend court as scheduled. A forfeiture hearing is not expected to be scheduled until early in the new year.
Among the conditions of his prior release, Alzoabi was to turn-in his passport and attend court as scheduled.
In addition to the criminal charges, Alzoabi owes the province some $69,000 in motor vehicle fines for such offences as driving without a licence, insurance and registration.
Defence lawyer David Iannetti was also granted permission Tuesday by the court to withdraw from the case.
While Alzoabi’s exact whereabouts is unknown, it is believed he fled back to Saudi Arabia. At the time of the offences, Alzoabi was living in Cape Breton attending Cape Breton University.

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