Sentencing proceedings commenced on Friday for a former St. Francis Xavier University football player who was found guilty earlier this year on two counts 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 enrolled as students at the Nova Scotia university during the incidents that took place in 2022 and 2023 on the Antigonish, N.S., campus.
Both victims presented impact statements, with one opting to speak from behind a screen to avoid seeing Jegede. She disclosed suffering from PTSD, depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, and panic attacks. The second victim did not appear in court but had her statement read out by the Crown. She mentioned experiencing headaches, anxiety, and nightmares, leading her to resign from her summer employment due to the distress.
Furthermore, the second victim’s mother also delivered an impact statement, highlighting the significant negative transformation her daughter underwent from a happy 19-year-old to an anxious, emotional, and socially withdrawn individual.
During the court session, Crown prosecutor Courtney MacNeil requested Justice Frank Hoskins to impose a prison term of 27 to 36 months for both offenses. MacNeil emphasized the severity of sexual assaults and the profound impact they have on victims. In contrast, Jegede’s lawyer, Adam Rodgers, suggested a community-based sentence for his client.
Rodgers proposed a custodial sentence to be served in Jegede’s hometown of Fort McMurray, Alta., far away from the crime scenes and the victims. He presented letters of support from members of the Nigerian community in Fort McMurray who are familiar with Jegede and his family.
Jegede, maintaining his innocence, described the post-conviction period as mentally and physically challenging when given an opportunity to address the court. Both the Crown and defense agreed that Jegede must provide a DNA sample for the national database and be listed in the national sex offender registry. However, they disagreed on the duration of the registry posting, with the Crown advocating for a lifetime inclusion while Rodgers suggested a shorter period.
Justice Hoskins is set to announce the sentencing decision on December 17.