Ex-officer charged with sex with prisoner to be tried

A Philadelphia judge yesterday ordered a former Philadelphia police officer to stand trial on sexual assault charges in an October incident in which he allegedly pressured a female prisoner into sex acts.

Malaika T. Mebane, 38, was allowed to remain free pending trial on $20,000 bail by Municipal Court Judge Georganne V. Daher. Daher also ordered Mebane to have no contact with the woman, who testified during yesterday's preliminary hearing.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Stackow said the incident occurred Oct. 16 while Mebane was working as the cell-block officer in the lockup at the 35th Police District, at Broad and Champlost Streets in the Ogontz section.

The 20-year-old woman had been arrested at her home and was being booked when Mebane allegedly asked if she needed to use a phone. As the woman was making a phone call, Stackow said, Mebane allegedly began groping her and then led her to a nearby cell where they were discovered in a sex act. - Joseph A. Slobodzian