WINNIPEG – A dangerous Somali refugee with a history of violence who was released in Winnipeg last month by an immigration official is on the lam, the Winnipeg Sun has learned.

A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for Mohamed Said Jama, the Somali refugee slated for deportation last fall but returned to Canada after a failed attempt to remove him.

Canada Border Services Agency spokeswoman Lisa White confirmed CBSA issued the warrant and the agency is now aggressively pursuing his whereabouts.

“This case is a priority for CBSA,” said White. “He has failed to comply with the conditions of his release.”

Jama, who was released Feb. 5 by Immigration and Refugee Board member Leeann King following a hearing, was supposed to check in with CBSA officials on the first Wednesday of each month.

But he failed to make his first appearance March 3 and CBSA officials have been unable to determine his whereabouts.

A separate Canada-wide warrant has also been issued for Jama for breaching the conditions of his statutory release.

Jama was freed on statutory release from prison in 2008 after he was convicted of assault with a weapon, aggravated assault and robbery. Jama took part in a violent home invasion where he stabbed a man in the face.

He had numerous offences prior to that.

Meanwhile, the reason Jama was returned to Canada in the first place remains somewhat of a mystery.

Jama was ordered deported to Somalia in 2008 but attempted to overturn the deportation order through a lengthy court battle. He lost that fight in federal court, was put on a plane in October of last year and flown to Nairobi, Kenya.

From there, he was supposed to fly to Bosaso, Somalia, but CBSA officials discovered the safety of Jama and his two escorts may be in jeopardy if they landed there.

White said national security reasons prevent the agency from divulging what new information they obtained while in Nairobi.

She said only that a security issue prevented them from flying into Bosaso.

“These decisions are not made lightly,” said White, adding all options were exhausted before returning to Canada. “The decision was made based on security.”

White insists it was still CBSA’s intention to deport Jama following his return to Canada and that the agency was working aggressively with officials here and abroad to secure a safe deportation plan.

However, she would not provide details on what prevented that from happening nor why it was taking so long.

“These are complex processes and they do take time,” she said.

Meanwhile, while awaiting deportation, Jama was relentlessly pursuing his release from custody in Winnipeg by trying to convince the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada he was not a threat to society and not a flight risk.

His wish came true.

As we reported Wednesday, Jama succeeded in doing so when he came across a soft Immigration and Refugee Board member — Leeann King from British Columbia — who presided over the Feb. 5 hearing.

King concluded Jama was not a threat to society nor a flight risk. She was wrong.

He obviously had no intention of sticking around to see what might happen with his deportation order.

And at the first opportunity — after sucking in a naive and somewhat delusional immigration official hook-line-and-sinker — he took off. Big surprise. Nice going, Ms. King.

So now CBSA and police have to try and find him. And if they do, they say they are still committed to deporting him.

“It’s our commitment to ensure this removal is carried out,” said White.

Stay tuned.

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CNews

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