The owner of a popular martial arts business on Bank Street has been cleared of all charges of  sexual assault, sexual exploitation and assault against a female student.  Ahmed Saroughi, an instructor and part owner of Saroughi Martial Arts at Bank and Walkley, was arrested and charged last year.  The investigation began after a female student, under the age of 18, came forward with allegations.

Ahmed Saroughi is known to his Tae Kwon Do students as "Master Sam."  CTV Ottawa featured Saroughi and his Martial Arts studio in a series we did on anti-bullying a few  years ago.

“We teach students to be strong,” said Saroughi inside his studio in November of 2011, “and confident when they’re walking around.”

CTV also did a story with the black belt instructor on how women could protect themselves from a sexual predator. 

Some parents were skeptical when charges were laid.

“Complete shock, disbelief,” says Angelle Bow, whose daughter took self-defense classes with Master Sam for more than a year.  She doesn't believe the allegations. 

“Sam dedicates a lot of his time teaching women to protect themselves against this exact thing,” says Bow, sporting a Saroughi hoodie, “He's one of the most respectful people I’ve ever met and I don't think it's in his personality to do something like this.”

Police started their investigation when the student told them she had been inappropriately touched at the martial arts studio.  But Bow says parents are always in the studio during classes.

“For him to have an opportunity to do something like that, I can't see it, I really can't.”

Saroughi's lawyer Joseph Addelman says the judge found Saroughi credible when he testified in his own defence, and was not convinced by the girl's story.