Swedish prosecutor drops some cases of sexual misconduct against Assange, rape case still open

Six-month-old Angela Merkel Ade sits on the arm of her mother Ophelya Ade in a refugee shelter in a former hospital in Hannover, northern Germany. Ophelya Ade _ an asylum seeker from Ghana _named her daughter after the German chancellor. (Julian Stratenschulte/dpa via AP) (The Associated Press)

FILE - This a July 16, 2014 file photo of Swedish public prosecutor Marianne Ny. Swedish prosecutors on Thursday Aug. 13, 2015 dropped cases of lesser sexual misconduct against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange but said they still want to question him on accusations of rape made after his visit to Stockholm five years ago. (AP Photo/Roger Vikstrom, file) SWEDEN OUT (The Associated Press)

Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped investigating two cases of sexual crimes against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange because they have expired, but will continue to investigate accusations of rape against him.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority says it has been unable to charge the 44-year-old Australian, who escaped a Swedish arrest warrant by taking refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London in 2012. He was wanted by police for questioning on four allegations involving rape and sexual misconduct made by two women during his 2010 visit to Sweden.

The agency said Thursday that a third case of sexual molestation "will be time-barred" on Aug. 18, but he was still wanted for questioning on allegations of rape that expire in 2020.