winnipegfreepress
Police are alerting Winnipeggers that an HIV-positive sex offender who faced possible deportation is instead getting out of prison and expected to resume living in the city.
Apay Ogouk, 33, is being released Tuesday after serving his sentence on three counts of aggravated sexual assault. Ogouk had unprotected sex with three female teen partners — including two who contracted the potentially deadly disease. Although the acts were consensual, Ogouk didn’t tell the women about his condition or take steps to protect them from exposure.
« Although he participated in some treatment programming in the past, Ogouk is still considered at risk to reoffend in a sexual manner, » the Manitoba high-risk sex offender unit said Monday in its community notification.
« All females are at risk. »
At his November 2014 sentencing hearing, court heard how Ogouk was born in Sudan and suffered a horrible upbringing, which included his father’s execution, living in a crowded refugee camp and moving to an Ethiopian orphanage after his mother died of health issues in his early teens. He came to Canada as a refugee in 2005, settling in Winnipeg.
In 2006, Ogouk was told he was HIV-positive after getting tested at a clinic. He was repeatedly told over the years, often through an interpreter, about the dangers of being sexually active and not using protection. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority even obtained a special order under the Public Health Act compelling him to disclose his condition to sexual partners.
But Ogouk failed to do so, striking up three relationships with women between 2006 and 2009.
The first, with a 15-year-old girl who would hang out at his apartment and drink alcohol, did not result in her becoming infected as a matter of « pure luck, » the Crown told court. But his other two partners were not as fortunate. Both became seriously ill months after beginning their relationships with him and learned they are HIV-positive.
Police began investigating in 2010 and obtained a warrant for Ogouk’s arrest. He had moved to Calgary, where he was eventually charged with aggravated sexual assault against two other women. Both have tested negative for HIV.
Ogouk was given a five-year sentence for those offences after pleading guilty. He was then given a seven-year sentence for the three Winnipeg crimes, but that included a large chunk of time already spent in custody.
« If I get a chance, I don’t do that again, » Ogouk said through a translator at the time of his sentencing. « I’m very sorry for that. »
Court was told Ogouk might have his refugee status revoked and be deported to Africa, although there was no guarantee that would occur. Given Monday’s public alert, it clearly hasn’t.
Ogouk has been serving his sentence in Alberta but is expected to return to Winnipeg now that he is free again, according to police.
« This information is provided to enable members of the public to take suitable measures to protect themselves. Any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct directed at Ogouk will not be tolerated, » a police release said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit at (204) 984-1888 or Manitoba Crime Stoppers at (204) 786-8477 or toll free at 1-800-222-8477.