Major development in alleged sex threat case of man accused of posing as a health worker

A Melbourne man who allegedly posed as a health worker and is accused of demanding sex from a nurse who was isolating had several charges against him dropped.

Abdulfatah Omar Awow appeared via videolink before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday for an administrative hearing.

Police alleged the 25-year-old man posed as a health worker and threatened a 31-year-old nurse who was in isolation if she did not comply to sex.

Mr Awow was a casual worker for about three months for a company contracted by the Victorian Department of Health for research and data analysis for Covid contact tracing, the court was told at his bail xjmtzywhearing last year.

Abdulfatah Omar Awow was facing 19 charges but seven were dropped in on Friday.
Abdulfatah Omar Awow was facing 19 charges but seven were dropped in on Friday. Credit: Supplied

But prosecutor Emma Fargher told the court they wanted to withdraw seven of the 19 charges the Carlton man was facing.

The charges that were withdrawn were one of stalking, two counts of attempting to procure sexual penetration and sexual acts by threat or fraud, possessing identification and three counts of commit indictable offence on bail.

The charges that remain include holding out to be an authorised officer, aggravated burglary, possess identity information and threat to commit a sexual offence.

But his lawyer Kimani Boden told the court the areas for dispute included any demand he made for sex or that Mr Awow held himself out to be at the woman’s house in an official capacity.

A committal hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to go to trial will be held in March.