Sofyan Boalag provoked his own stabbing, attorney general says in court filings
A notorious serial rapist, Sofyan Boalag, who caused fear and terror in St. John’s in 2012 with his spree of sexual assaults, is now at the center of a legal battle against the federal government. Boalag is claiming that staff at a federal prison failed to protect him from a stabbing in February 2023, resulting in him being permanently disabled and unable to walk for the rest of his life. However, the Attorney General of Canada has filed a statement of defense arguing that Boalag is responsible for his own misfortune.
In the statement of defense, the Attorney General points out several instances of Boalag’s “contributory negligence.” These include Boalag’s failure to inform prison staff of any risks to his personal safety, provoking the inmate involved in the incident, not taking reasonable steps to avoid the incident, failing to keep a proper lookout, not ensuring his own safety, and conducting himself in a reckless manner. The defense also disputes the date of the incident mentioned by Boalag in his claim and denies his assertion that he will never walk again, challenging him to prove it.
Boalag was convicted of raping two women and a 15-year-old girl in Newfoundland in 2012, with a total of six complainants coming forward. The victims described how he would choke them unconscious and threaten them with a knife on city streets in the early hours of the morning. In 2016, Boalag was declared a dangerous offender and received an indeterminate prison sentence. At the time of the incident, he was housed at the Atlantic Institution in Renous, N.B., but has since been transferred to a prison in Ontario.
According to Boalag’s lawsuit, filed by lawyer Laura Neilan, the attack occurred when inmates were released from their cells to line up for medication. Boalag claims that he was attacked from behind by a man with a sharp weapon, and that correctional officers failed to intervene in a timely manner. The lawsuit alleges that the attacker had shown “pre-indicators of violence” towards Boalag and that prison staff failed to prevent weapons from entering the facility, did not search inmates before allowing them to line up, and violated internal policy by releasing multiple inmates at the same time.
In response, the Attorney General’s lawyers deny the allegations, stating that adequate supervision of inmates, including Boalag, was provided at all times. They also assert that Boalag received reasonable and necessary medical assistance following the incident. The Attorney General is seeking to have Boalag’s claim dismissed and to be awarded costs by the federal government.
It is important to note that the statements made by Boalag and the Attorney General have not yet been tested in court. For the latest updates on this case and other news, download the free CBC News app and sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Visit our landing page for more information.
