WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Court records indicate that charges against a recently resettled Afghan refugee may be dismissed.
A petition for dismissal without prejudice was filed on Friday in the case of Matiullah Matie, who is accused of fourth-degree sexual assault stemming from an incident in which he allegedly made unwanted advances toward a woman that was helping him and his family resettle.
The case is set for a judicial pretrial hearing in court on Thursday afternoon. Judge Scott Corbett is overseeing the proceedings.
Dismissal without prejudice is a legal term meaning the case would be dismissed as if it were never filed. It does leave open the possibility that the case could be refiled as long as the statute of limitations has not expired.
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According to the complaint, a woman told investigators that Matie invited her to dinner at his home. She says Matie asked her to have a drink but didn’t want to be seen consuming alcohol in front of his family.
The two drove to a nearby gas station where the woman adds that she felt pressured to drink with him. When she finished the beverage, she claimed Matie kissed her on both cheeks and then tried to force his tongue into her mouth. She also claims Matie took her hand and forced it against his groin against her will.
The case had been scheduled to go to trial on July 27th. But that date was removed from the docket in late April when the defense and prosecution told Corbett they needed more time for a “potential resolution.”
