A promising legal career has been derailed after a Calgary man was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman within the very justice system he sought to join.
Charles Ikenwe, an articling student who emigrated from Nigeria with a law degree, was found guilty by a Court of King’s Bench judge this week.
The conviction stems from an incident that took place at Ikenwe’s home on October 25, 2023. The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, also works in the justice system.
In her decision, Justice Marilyn Slawinsky delivered a sharp rejection of Ikenwe’s testimony that the sexual encounter was consensual.
She also dismissed the narrative presented by defence counsel Eric Nelson-Addy, who argued the victim fabricated the allegations after discovering Ikenwe was married and after they had sex in his matrimonial bed.
The judge pinpointed a critical flaw in the defence’s theory: the victim did not even know Ikenwe’s last name at the time, let alone his marital status, when she confided in her best friend about being assaulted immediately after the encounter.
“I believe the complainant’s version of what occurred,” Justice Slawinsky stated unequivocally in court. “She did not consent to the sexual activity.”
According to the victim’s testimony, she agreed to go to Ikenwe’s home, but not for a sexual encounter. Once there, she was forced to wait until another occupant of the residence left late in the evening. Ikenwe had identified this person as the husband of the married couple he was living with.
In a revealing twist noted by the judge, the person leaving the home was, in fact, Ikenwe’s own wife.
Justice Slawinsky found that Ikenwe’s claim of consensual sex was “not believable” and failed to raise a reasonable doubt about the victim’s lack of consent.
The judge also acknowledged the victim’s professional familiarity with the justice system, noting she would have been acutely aware of how difficult such complaints are to prove in court.
Following the conviction, defence lawyer Nelson-Addy requested a pre-sentence report. Ikenwe remains at liberty pending sentencing.
A date for the sentencing hearing will be set on December 5, where Ikenwe will learn the consequences for a crime that stands in stark contrast to the legal principles he aspired to uphold.
