 Mohamed Said Jama is back in custody.
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WINNIPEG - Mohamed Said Jama is back in custody after the Somali refugee, who was wanted by immigration officials on a Canada-wide warrant, was picked up by Winnipeg police late Friday afternoon.
Jama was apprehended following a series of Winnipeg Sun stories detailing how the 40-year-old fugitive was released by an Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada member last month and later became the subject of a Canada-wide search.
Jama was apprehended in Winnipeg at approximately 5:30 p.m. Friday in a joint effort between the Winnipeg police and Canada Border Services Agency officials.
"I would like to congratulate the CBSA and Winnipeg Police Service on their co-operative efforts in apprehending Mohamed Said Jama," said Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, Manitoba's senior MP. "The position of the government remains that Mr. Jama should be removed from Canada as soon as possible."
Jama was convicted of assault with a weapon, aggravated assault and robbery in 2004 after stabbing a man in the face with a knife during a violent home invasion.
Jama had numerous convictions prior to that and was ordered deported by CBSA officials to his homeland in 2008. He attempted through a lengthy court battle to fight his deportation but lost.
He was sent back to Somalia last fall but the deportation failed when Canadian officials could not guarantee his safety upon arrival and returned Jama to Canada.
It's unclear why Jama was not later deported to Somalia before he was released Feb. 5.
Toews has vowed publicly to investigate the case further and get to the bottom of why Jama's deportation order was not executed.
tom.brodbeck@sunmedia.ca
