Sentencing proceedings commenced on Friday for a former St. Francis Xavier University football player who was found guilty earlier this year on two charges of sexual assault. The Crown and defense are in disagreement regarding the manner in which the sentence should be carried out.
Omogbolahan (Teddy) Jegede, aged 25, and the two female victims of the sexual assaults were all students at the Nova Scotia university when the incidents took place in 2022 and 2023 on the Antigonish, N.S., campus.
During the court proceedings, both victims delivered impact statements detailing the severe effects of the assaults on their lives. One victim spoke from behind a screen, citing the development of PTSD, depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, and panic attacks. The other victim did not appear in court but had her statement read by the Crown, describing ongoing struggles with headaches, anxiety, nightmares, and having to give up a job due to stress.
In court, Crown prosecutor Courtney MacNeil advocated for a prison sentence of 27 to 36 months for both offenses, emphasizing the gravity of the assaults and the profound impact on the victims. Conversely, Jegede’s lawyer, Adam Rodgers, proposed a community-based sentence for his client.
Rodgers recommended a custodial sentence to be served in the community, specifically in Jegede’s hometown of Fort McMurray, Alta., far away from the locations where the assaults occurred. He presented letters of support from members of the Nigerian community in Fort McMurray who are acquainted with Jegede and his family.
Jegede, maintaining his innocence, described his post-conviction period as a challenging time both physically and mentally when given the opportunity to address the court. Both the Crown and defense agreed that Jegede must provide a DNA sample for a national database and be listed on the national sex offender registry, although they disagreed on the duration of the listing.
The sentencing decision from Justice Frank Hoskins is expected on December 17.
