Somali man faces deportation after six-year manslaughter sentence

EDMONTON – A Somali man was sentenced to six years in prison Monday after he fatally stabbed a man in front of a 14-year-old witness at a Edmonton house party.
Hassan Isse Ismail, 31, had two dozen family and friends in the courtroom as he entered his guilty plea for the death of 23-year-old Aden Ahmed on the night of Nov. 19, 2012.
That night, court heard, both Ismail and Ahmed were at a house party in central Edmonton near 94th Street and 113th Avenue. Three teenagers were in the home, though their mother was not. Instead, the party was hosted by the mother’s roommate, according to an agreed statement of facts.
As the guests drank alcohol, Ahmed and Ismail got into a heated argument in the kitchen. Ahmed struck Ismail across the forehead with a liquor bottle in front of the 14-year-old, who had stopped playing video games in his bedroom and come out to investigate the commotion. Other guests separated the two men and Ahmed went into the living room.
In the kitchen, Ismail took a steak knife from a nearby drawer, followed Ahmed into the living room and stabbed him in the back. The two men fought and Ahmed was stabbed a second time in the back as the 14-year-old watched and other guests tried to quell the fight. Ismail then fled the home.
Ahmed was declared dead shortly after paramedics brought him to the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Crown prosecutor Damian Rogers said it was aggravating that Ismail decided to arm himself and pursue Ahmed to another room even though the initial fight between the two men was over. The two men were separated before Ismail’s “cowardly assault” from behind, the prosecutor said.
“Stabbing someone in the back, even with a small blade, the accused must have known there was a subjective risk of harm.”
Court heard that Ismail will be deported back to his homeland of Somalia once he has served his prison time. Ismail first arrived in Canada at the age of 16 when he fled Somalia with his family. He moved from Ontario to Edmonton in 2005 looking for work. Before Monday, he did not have a criminal record.
Despite his imminent deportation, defence lawyer Dane Bullerwell pointed out, Ismail took responsibility for the crime.
“It’s going to be extraordinarily difficult for Mr. Ismail. He’s done the honourable thing and pleaded guilty even though he knows the consequences. He’s come to this with his eyes open. He knows in some way this is a life sentence because it is very unlikely he will ever be allowed back into Canada.”
After he fled the scene of Ahmed’s killing, Ismail was on the run from police for three months before he walked into police headquarters in Edmonton and admitted he was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant.
Bullerwell said Ismail is remorseful over Ahmed’s death. “He thinks about this every day. He knows the pain he’s caused both families.”
After credit for pre-trial custody, Ismail has five years and one month left to serve.
edmontonjournal.com