Crown seeking nine-year sentence in connection with ‘dehumanizing’ gang rape of 14-year-old

Noting the devastating effect of a gang rape against a Calgary teen, a prosecutor Monday said a nineyear sentence would be appropriate for one of her assailants.

Crown lawyer Rose Greenwood said the impact of the crime on the now-18-year-old has robbed her of her youth.

“This has destroyed her teenage years,” Greenwood told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Jim Eamon.

The prosecutor said while the victim suffered bruising in the three-on-one attack, “the psychological harm … is far more significant.”

Omar Kromah, 24, was convicted June 26 of sexual assault and sexual interference of a minor.

Because both charges relate to the same event, Greenwood said Eamon should enter a judicial stay on the sexual assault and sentence Kromah of the abusing a minor charge.

Eamon ruled Kromah was one of three men who took turns violating the victim at a southeast residence.

During Kromah’s trial, Greenwood asked Eamon to acquit coaccused Abas Ibrahim after the complainant had testified.

The woman testified the man police believed to be Ibrahim did not speak while raping her in a darkened town home bathroom, meaning a fourth man in the house, who spoke poor English, could have been the rapist.

A third suspect, Zakariya Abdow, was fatally stabbed on the Stampede grounds in July 2015.

Before making submissions for a nine-year sentence, Greenwood read in victim impact statements from the woman and her father.

Said the victim: “These men have taken away my childhood.”

Greenwood said not only did Kromah rape and sodomize the victim, but did so while confining her to the bathroom of the home.

The abuse only ended when he asked her for oral sex and she threatened to bite off his penis, the prosecutor noted.

“It is difficult to imagine a more degrading, dehumanizing, humiliating and terrifying position for a 14-year-old to be in.”

But defence counsel Andrew Stewart said it was wrong to suggest Kromah was remorseless. He said a fit sentence would be in the 4 1/2-5 1/2-year range.

Eamon will hand down his sentencing decision Aug. 7.