A predator who sexually assaulted several sex workers while posing as a police officer deserves a harsh sentence of eight years in prison, since he targeted these women because of their profession and their identity, according to the prosecution. The victims were also scarred for life by the assaults.
“These are four innocent women. He decided to attack them only because they were women. He chose them because of their profession, ”insisted Thursday the Crown prosecutor, Ms.e Anna Levin, during submissions on the sentence of Mohamad Abdool Koheeallee at the Montreal courthouse.
The 38-year-old Montrealer, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, turned into a sexual predator overnight in 2019 and 2020. His modus operandi was meticulous: once the sex worker is in his vehicle, he brandishes a police badge, introduces himself as a policeman undercover and informs the woman that she risks a criminal record.
Mohamad Abdool Koheeallee then offers his victim to give him oral sex to avoid being arrested. Three women were forced to make such gestures, being convinced that the man was a real policeman. One of the victims, an 18-year-old ex-runaway, was also assaulted twice with penetration. A fourth victim was released by the accused without being assaulted.
“My life was completely shaken, I quickly sank into drugs to forget,” testifies one of the victims, who contracted an STI. This woman recounts having lost interest in life and no longer feeling safe on the outside. “Panic attacks are part of my daily life,” she says.
“I was very scared”, says another victim, who claims to have suffered a “real trauma”. This sex worker launched a plea in defense of her work.
“I am aware that society has many prejudices against the escort profession, but I would like to mention that, like all other women, we deserve to be respected,” she wrote in a letter.
The Crown prosecutor insisted a lot on the work of the victims in her argument, presenting the reductive vision of the aggressor. ” [Selon lui], they are used to it. It is their livelihood. [Il se dit] : “I’m just not going to pay them, nothing more. It’s like a fraud”, pleaded Me Wine.
The accused also perceives his fake policeman’s scheme as a “small scam”, according to the sexological report, argued Ms.e Wine. On the contrary, it is rather an example of “predation” and premeditation, according to the prosecutor. Very aggravating factors.
In a report, Koheeallee blames the fact that he did not “sleep much”, notes Me Wine. He also evokes a “duel” against women and a “triumph of women” to demonstrate his “normality”. Rather confusing remarks, in the eyes of the prosecutor.
The defense attorney, M.e Marie-Hélène Giroux, instead suggests the imposition of five years in prison, a “severe” and “just” sentence. As his client has been detained on remand for more than three years, he would only have one month left in his sentence in practice. Me Giroux retains the risk of recidivism “very low” of the accused.
“Monsieur was in a bad patch. His life fell apart [à l’époque] “, argued M.e Giroux. Prior to the assaults, Mohamad Abdool Koheeallee separated and lost two engineering jobs. He also had suicidal thoughts, but “did not receive any help,” said Ms.e Giroux.
Judge Yves Paradis will render his decision in July.