The Crown intends to seek an adult sentence for a 15-year-old boy if the teen is convicted in the shooting death of 31-year-old Mark Enwaya, a new Canadian who was gunned down after a work shift last month.
The announcement was made Tuesday in Saskatoon provincial court, where Enwaya’s family members and relatives of the accused teen sat just rows apart before erupting into anger.
The two families were complete strangers before Enwaya’s death. His body was found on March 12 in the alley behind the 100 block of Avenue Q South.
The 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy were charged with second-degree murder. Provisions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act prevent the boys from being identified.
The 15-year-old boy is set to be back in court on May 7. The 17-year-old is scheduled to appear on May 23.
Enwaya’s mother told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that her son moved to Canada in 2012, fleeing Iraq for a better life. He worked at Star Egg on Quebec Avenue and was his family’s main source of income, according to Gina Bak, the family’s former English-language teacher.
Bak started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for Enwaya’s family, who she said have been left in desperate financial need.