Andy Ntunaguza's victim praised for 'bravery and honesty' after guilty verdicts in Calgary parkade rape trial
Meghan Grant | CBC News | Posted: September 21, 2017 6:29 PM | Last Updated: September 21, 2017
Jurors deliberated for about eight hours following an eight-day trial
A Calgary jury has found Andy Dick Ntunaguza guilty of aggravated sexual assault for raping a woman in a downtown parkade.
The victim was told the news over the phone just minutes after the verdict was announced by the jury foreperson.
"She was certainly relieved that this was the outcome," said prosecutor Deven Singhal. "This is the end of a very long road for her."
Ntunaguza, 32, was on trial for aggravated sexual assault, forcible confinement and overcoming resistance by choking.
He closed his eyes as the jury announced his guilt on all three charges Thursday.
"He's very upset," said defence lawyer Dale Fedorchuk. "He still maintains his innocence and said he was not the person involved in this. So clearly that's very disturbing and disappointing for someone who still feels he's innocent."
Fedorchuk says he's advised Ntunaguza to speak with a lawyer about the possibility of an appeal.
Jurors heard Ntunaguza's DNA was found inside the victim, who was raped and badly beaten on Dec. 20, 2015.
Both the victim and Ntunaguza were homeless at the time of the incident. She testified that she agreed to have sex with him for money but said that when she asked to see the cash, he became angry and began to attack.
During her testimony, the woman — who can't be identified because of a publication ban — pointed at Ntunaguza, calling him "my attacker."
The 49-year-old woman suffers from lupus and fibromyalgia. When she was found by a security guard hiding in a corner of the parkade after the attack, she'd been so badly beaten, her eyes were swollen shut.
Ntunaguza's lawyer told jurors he paid the victim for consensual sex and that it was an acquaintance of the accused who was wearing a blue jacket and pants — matching the victim's description of her attacker's clothing — who raped her minutes later.
Jurors began deliberations around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday after Court of Queen's Bench Justice Adam Germain's instructions on the law.
As he dismissed them after the verdicts, Germain thanked jurors for their service to their country.
Psychiatric reports have been ordered and Ntunaguza will be back in court on Jan. 30, 2018, for sentencing arguments.
In his final comments after the court proceedings, Singhal paid tribute to the investigators and victim.
"I'd like to thank Detective [Trish] Allen and the members of Calgary Police Service sex crimes for their very, very hard work on this file," said Singhal.
"Most of all, I'd like to thank the victim for her bravery and her honesty through this very arduous process."