‘Vigilante justice’ suspect denied bail

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This article was published 04/12/2018 (2678 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man allegedly involved in breaking into another man’s apartment and assaulting him in what the Crown referred to as an act of “vigilante justice” has been denied bail.

“The behaviour here is very frightening and concerning,” Judge Robert Heinrichs told the Brandon provincial court on Monday. “This would be the kind of case where the court might even consider denying bail on the tertiary ground as well … This is the kind of thing that the community and people that live in the community might be extremely concerned about.”

Chris Hapa, 31, is facing multiple charges including break and enter as well as commit robbery with violence.

None of the charges have been proven in court and Hapa is presumed innocent.

On Sunday, police received a 911 call from a woman who said her ex-boyfriend appeared to be in distress while she was on the phone with him, Crown attorney Yaso Mathu said, and was yelling for her to call the police.

Officers arrived to his residence in the 3500 block of Willowdale Crescent and could hear a disturbance inside the apartment, including a man yelling, “Help me, help me.”

Police kicked the door open after knocking and found the victim being held in a choke hold by one of the three suspects in the living room, Mathu said.

The victim told police that the two men and one woman forced entry into the apartment by busting open the door.

One of the men immediately grabbed him, slammed him to the ground and put him into a chokehold, Mathu said. They continued to choke him and hold him to the ground while demanding to know “where the cellphone and the cash was hidden.”

Two of the suspects searched the apartment but only found some marijuana, which they pocketed.

The victim complained of pain in his solar plexus and had some abrasions on his face, including a bloody mouth.

There was also video surveillance set up in the victim’s living room and the entire offence was captured in it’s totality, Mathu added.

Hapa’s co-accused told police they had all gone to the apartment to try and get his cousin’s phone back as well as some money the victim had allegedly stolen.

“This would imply some sort of vigilante justice,” Mathu said.

The entire event, including the assault, also took place in front of the victim’s four-year-old son.

“This was a very serious crime that was committed in front of a child,” Mathu said. “Their interest in getting revenge … took precedence over common sense that day.”

Hapa was also already out on bail in relation to pending charges from another incident in July, during which Hapa allegedly broke two windows of an acquaintance’s home and climbed into the basement while intoxicated.

He also allegedly has failed to attend court, Mathu said.

“Mr. Hapa has shown he has no intention in abiding by court-ordered conditions … It doesn’t appear that he can be managed in the community,” Mathu said.

Defence lawyer Bob Harrison reminded the court there were three suspects there, adding that Hapa insisted he “never touched” the victim.

The bail plan put forward to the court was a strong one, Harrison added, with Hapa agreeing to follow strict conditions and had cash to put up for security.

Heinrichs was skeptical any bail plan would be sufficient in addressing concerns and denied Hapa’s bail application.

Hapa is scheduled to appear in court again next week.

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