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Awet Mehari’s statutory release was suspended twice after his urine samples tested positive for cocaine, according to Parole Board of Canada documents.
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A Regina music scene entrepreneur whose sexual assault conviction appeal came to a halt on the doorstep of the Supreme Court now faces another legal battle — this time for alleged drug offences, after police seized over a kilogram of cocaine.
Those charges against Awet Teklemichael Mehari haven’t been proven. But it’s not the first time the 34-year-old, who was once the manager for a promising Regina rap artist, has been accused of drug offences. And as parole documents reveal, he’s not a stranger to cocaine, though he was reluctant to admit it.
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Those documents were generated by the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) in relation to Mehari’s first federal sentence of three years, less remand credit, imposed after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in 2017.
They cover his early years, noting he arrived in Canada as an immigrant at an early age, but note he is a now a citizen.
“You described your childhood as ‘privileged’ and you deny witnessing or experiencing any form of abuse as a child,” the author of a December 2022 PBC report wrote.
That report suggests his experience in school was a mixed bag. While he said he experienced racism in school, he also found “support and good people.” He reported beginning substance use in his early teens, but claimed he’d only used drugs “a handful of times.”
He denied that drugs were an issue for him.
While on statutory release in February of 2022, he “struggled with time management and missed appointments,” leading to a modification of his curfew condition, after which “ongoing issues were noted.”
In June of that year, he didn’t show up to provide a urine sample, and it was rescheduled. In August, two urine samples he provided tested positive for cocaine.
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At first he denied any drug use, but his release was suspended, after which he admitted to using the drug. His release was revoked.
In October 2022, while he was back in custody, a search of his cell netted an eight-inch “homemade stabbing weapon” and a collection of around 90 pills containing various medications, including pain relievers and antihistamines. He was charged institutionally with being in possession of contraband.
Nonetheless, he was released again in November 2022. That lasted all of 11 days before his release was suspended again — another urine sample tested positive for cocaine.
Again he denied wrongdoing, attributing the test result to “use of cold and flu medication.”
“Your parole supervisor consulted with a professional who confirmed that the particular cold and flu medication you used would not produce a positive result for cocaine use,” the PBC report notes in its December 2022 decision to ultimately revoke the man’s release once again.
Providing an overview of his criminal history, the report notes his conviction began in 2017 with drug possession.
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It states “numerous similar and related charges” for non-compliance, property, drugs and weapons offences were brought against him from 2017-2020, which did not result in convictions.
With regard to such charges, an earlier PBC report on Mehari stated: “While the Board acknowledges that these charges did not result in convictions, it is very concerning that you have consistently been involved in high-risk behaviours and with associates that have resulted in police contact and charges.”
That report, from January 2022, suggests Mehari takes little responsibility for his offences, projects blame or tries to justify his actions.
Regarding the sexual assault for which he was imprisoned, it notes Mehari maintained that he was “wrongfully convicted” and it states: “You project blame to the victim and her family and articulate some thoughts of vengeance in that regard.”
By December of 2022, he had completed no programs and displayed no insight into his risk factors either while in jail or in the community, according to the PBC report from that time, which was the most recent report provided to the Leader-Post.
“To your credit you have good employment history and are focused on establishing your recording business once again,” it notes.
Mehari was arrested Feb. 9, 2024 in relation to the charges he’s currently facing, including two counts of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking and possession of the proceeds of property obtained by crime.
He is in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on those charges Friday.
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