Wife Defends Cab Driver Accused Of Sex Assault On Passenger
DENVER (CBS4) - A cab driver accused of sexually assaulting one of his passengers appeared in court Monday morning.
Police arrested Samuel Fikadu, 39, Friday night. He remains in jail on a $5,000 bond.
According to Fikadu's arrest affidavit, the victim said she did not invite him into her Edgewater home, but he followed her, and then sat on her couch and smoked marijuana from a pipe on her table. After he smoked, she said he assaulted her.
Fikadu's wife, Miheret Kahsay, was in court to show support for her husband. She said he is innocent.
"I trust my husband, and he's a really nice guy," Kahsay said. "I'm 100 percent sure he wouldn't do that."
The victim said she was out last Wednesday night celebrating her birthday in Denver, and then she flagged the cab down from the street. The victim claims Fikadu pulled up to her home, she paid the fare, and then he turned off the car.
"I got to my back door and he was right behind me and he just followed me in," the victim said. "And then he came on to me, and I said, 'No, please.' "
Freedom Cab said their drivers are safe and friendly. The company's general manager, Max Sarr, said all of their drivers are independent contractors and not employees of the company. Sarr said Edgewater police contacted him asking for the driver's last name.
"It's concerning, very concerning," Sarr said.
Fikadu's next-door neighbor, Aaron Brown, also showed up in court on Monday. Brown said Fikadu's two daughters, ages 5 and 7, often play with his children.
"I've never gotten even the slightest sense that he's anything but a very kind, generous and gentle and sweet man, so I don't know what this is all about," Brown said.
"I know my husband, he is very nice and he wouldn't do that … the truth will come out and he will be free," Kahsay said.
Fikadu will be back in court on Friday.
