Former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi has been found not guilty of four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking.

The decision was released Thursday morning by Justice William B. Horkins following an eight-day trial in Toronto in February. Ghomeshi had plead not guilty to the charges, which were announced in November 2014.

Ghomeshi, who hosted the popular CBC radio show Q, was dismissed by the pubcaster in October 2014. Following the announcement of his dismissal, Ghomeshi issued a long Facebook post in which he admitted to “rough sex” role-playing with a former girlfriend, but insisted it had been consensual. In the posting, Ghomeshi said he had been fired by the pubcaster for “sexual behavior…unbecoming of a prominent host on the CBC.”

Soon after the verdict was announced today, the CBC released a statement saying the charges Ghomeshi was facing in this trial were not related to its decision to end his employment with the pubcaster.

“Based on the evidence that came to our attention, Mr. Ghomeshi’s actions were not compatible with the values of the public broadcaster nor with our employee code of conduct.​  We stand by our decision,” the statement read.

Ghomeshi will face a second trial on a separate charge of sexual assault in June.