Sex-shame attacker, a no-show at hearing, now sought by police

It was one of Ottawa’s most vile crimes.

On July 3, 2015, a young woman was abducted from her home at knifepoint by three other women, only to be degraded in a sex-shame attack broadcast on Facebook.

Moments after their convictions in October 2019, the judge said their acts were demeaning and designed to violate the young woman’s sexual integrity.

Now, one of the attackers is wanted by Ottawa police after skipping her last court date. The Feb. 13 hearing was to set a date for sentencing, but Sandrine Tomba-Kalema didn’t show up.

Her lawyer has not been able to contact Tomba-Kalema and a judge has issued a warrant for her arrest.

Tomba-Kalema, 40, was afforded bail while she awaited sentencing for kidnapping, forcible confinement, and sexual assault. She remains at large.

Ringleader Eunice (Chou Chou) Ilunga is in jail awaiting sentencing.

The case was anchored in videos of the attacks that left the young woman fearing for her life.

In one video, the young woman was confined in her bathroom and berated for having sex with one of the accused’s ex-boyfriends. The woman was crying.

The videos were graphic, and though they were played and heard in court, they were seen only by the judge, the complainant, the accused and lawyers.

Regional sexual violence Crown attorney Louise Tansey, who prosecuted the case, said the videos were traumatizing to watch.

The young woman remained composed during her testimony at trial but was crying when she left court.