An Uber driver from Virginia is struggling with false rape charges that have been dismissed. Sewanou Yoro, aged 34 was cleared of all rape charges in October. However, the damage was already done. Uber deactivated him, and his life is upside down as he tries to clear the mud off his name.
Yoro was originally charged with rape of a 19-year-old passenger after she accused him of sexual assault. Basel Khalaf, Yoro's attorney, managed to raise enough questions to her credibility that the prosecutor dismissed the charges. Khalaf added that Yoro is a man with a clean past and never being inappropriate with women.
Yoro was held in custody for 6 months and the arrest and wrongfully jailed, the time he served stopped his studies in ODU where he was nearly completing his degree in civil engineering. What made Khalaf angry were the headlines, that stated "Uber driver accused of Rape" and not "Charges were dismissed."
Yoro has started his process of regaining his life and applied to finish his degree in ODU. Unfortunately, there is a process to accept students that want to continue their education after taking a break. Khalaf stated that it would be the right thing to make an exception in his case since it is so unusual.
Adding insult to injury, Yoro was charged $22 from the jail for the time he was incarcerated. The jail administration said that all Yoro has to do is prove the charges were dismissed and the money will be reimbursed.
On a final note, Khalaf stated; "You can't take back the past, it's so unfortunate."