A Thompson RCMP officer who punched a man in September 2018 has been charged with one count of assault after an investigation by Manitoba’s police watchdog.
Following a probe by the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IU), civilian director Zane Tessler determined there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe a criminal offence occurred. Const. Greg Oke was charged with assault and is scheduled to appear in Thompson provincial court Aug. 9.
The incident occurred last Sept. 12, when two Thompson RCMP officers responded to a call about an intoxicated female and became involved in an altercation with a male bystander. One of the officers punched the man several times in the face, the IIU said in a news release at the time.
Surveillance video of the incident was brought to the attention of the RCMP, which notified the IIU and passed along the video evidence.
Tessler decided it was in the public interest to investigate, although the man did not suffer any serious injuries.
The IIU investigates incidents involving on- or off-duty police in Manitoba.
