Missing $700K at heart of case against former B.C. lawyer accused of 1st-degree murder
Former B.C. Lawyer Charged with First-Degree Murder of Client Over $700,000 Debt
A former B.C. lawyer, Rogelio “Butch” Bagabuyo, is facing charges of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his client, Mohd Abdullah, a computer science professor at Thompson Rivers University. The Crown prosecutors revealed that Bagabuyo owed Abdullah over $700,000, which he had borrowed from the professor in 2016 during his divorce proceedings.
The trial, being heard before a judge only, commenced on Monday with Crown prosecutor Ann Katrine Saettler presenting the case. According to the Crown’s allegations, Abdullah had given Bagabuyo the substantial sum with the expectation of repayment once his divorce was finalized. However, as of March 2022, Abdullah had not received the money back, and it was still missing.
Abdullah was last seen alive on March 11, 2022, as he was captured on video heading to Bagabuyo’s office in downtown Kamloops. Days later, his remains were discovered in a plastic bin inside a rental van. An autopsy confirmed multiple stab wounds to Abdullah’s upper left chest and back.
The Crown’s theory posits that Bagabuyo murdered Abdullah in his office, placed the body in a plastic tote bag, and then moved it to the van. The motive for the murder, as alleged by the Crown, was the significant debt owed by Bagabuyo to Abdullah.
During the trial, witnesses took the stand, including Justin Robertson, who alerted authorities after finding human remains in a rental van parked outside his grandparents’ home. Robertson testified that Bagabuyo had asked for his help in burying a box, which raised suspicion. Upon inspecting the contents of the bin, Robertson discovered a human foot and promptly called 911.
Evidence presented in court included rental documents for the Budget van, as well as items like ropes, disposable lighters, cables, and a knife with a 12-inch blade. Bagabuyo was initially charged with interfering with human remains but was later charged with murder over a year after Abdullah’s body was found.
Abdullah, a 60-year-old respected figure at Thompson Rivers University, had worked there for over two decades and was described as a quiet and kind individual. Bagabuyo, who had been considered Abdullah’s “trusted friend,” is currently out on bail since July 2023.
The trial will resume on Wednesday as the legal proceedings continue to unfold. The shocking case has gripped the community, shedding light on the complexities surrounding the relationship between a lawyer and client gone tragically wrong.
