Ghomeshi ruling expected in March

TORONTO — The fate of Jian Ghomeshi now rests with a Toronto judge who is expected to decide next month whether to convict the former broadcaster of sexual assault or declare him innocent.

The Crown said Thursday the three women at the heart of the trial were “unshaken” in their allegations against the one-time CBC star, while the defence steadfastly argued the complainants were unreliable witnesses who lied under oath.

Ghomeshi pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking. Most of evidence at the trial came from the three women, whose allegations were linked to incidents that allegedly happened in 2002 and 2003.

“All three Crown witnesses were unshaken in their allegations that they were sexually assaulted by Mr. Ghomeshi,” prosecutor Michael Callaghan said in his closing arguments.

Ghomeshi’s defence team offered a starkly different view, arguing the Crown had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The judge will hand down his decision March 24.