A special prosecutor has been appointed in the court case involving Maple Ridge city Coun. Ahmed Yousef.

The B.C. Prosecution Service announced Friday (May 16) that on Jan. 29, Claire Hatcher was appointed as a special prosecutor involving an investigation by the Upper Fraser Valley Regional RCMP Detachment into allegations against Ahmed Antar Yousef Mohamed.

"The appointment of a special prosecutor is intended to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice considering the nature of the allegations and the identity of the accused as an elected public official," notes a press release from the prosecution service.

Hatcher is a senior Vancouver lawyer in private practice. Her mandate included providing legal advice to investigators as may be necessary, conducting any related charge assessment, and assuming conduct of the prosecution if any charge was approved.

Yousef has been charged with four counts of assault, involving four different alleged victims, as well as a count of pointing a firearm, and one of unsafe storage of a firearm. These charges against Yousef were sworn on Friday, May 9.

There is a ban on publication prohibiting the identification of victims or witnesses involved in these charges.

A hearing about these counts had been scheduled for Monday, May 12 in Port Coquitlam provincial court, but the matter was put over to June 9.

Also on May 9, in Surrey provincial court, Yousef was charged with two counts of disobeying a court order.

None of the charges against Yousef has been tested in court, and he is considered innocent until proven guilty.