Local

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Former businessman gets 5-year sentence for sexual assault on teenager

By: Mike McIntyre

Posted: 02/20/2013 4:37 PM

A Winnipeg man has been sentenced to five years in prison for confining, threatening and raping a 15-year-old girl he plied with drugs and alcohol.

Oubay Chebib, 47, was convicted by a jury earlier this year and returned to court Wednesday to learn his punishment. The Crown was seeking six years, while defence lawyer Mike Cook asked for four.

Chebib -- former owner of the Fabulous Futon Factory on Albert Street -- testified in his own defence at trial and denied wrongdoing. The victim, now 19 years old, tearfully told jurors how Chebib fed her booze and cocaine, tied her up and raped her in 2008 after a night of partying.

Chebib conceded it was possible the teen was at his McPhillips Street home, although he claimed to have no memory of it. Chebib also admitted he was hooked on crack cocaine at the time and was selling the drug to feed his habit -- even trading it for sex. He said he would often have people over to party, including teens.

But Chebib rejected the girl’s claim he accused her of stealing drugs from him and then assaulted her, forced her to strip and then searched her body before tying her to a bed and raping her.

The victim told jurors her 17-year-old sister took her to Chebib’s home. Chebib supplied both girls with beer and crack cocaine, the teen said. She was living in foster care at the time and said she gladly accepted what he was offering. Her sister stepped outside, saying she was going for a walk and would be back in five minutes. But she never returned.

Following the attack, Chebib allegedly ordered the teen to get dressed and leave. The girl immediately phoned her father and later told her foster mother, who took her to hospital. But she initially refused to give a statement to police, telling jurors she had warrants out for her arrest and didn’t want to go to jail. She eventually came forward in 2010 and disclosed details of the incident.

Chebib was previously arrested in 2009 and accused of confining and sexually assaulting two other young women he allegedly met on the internet. Chebib told the Free Press at the time he was wrongfully accused.

The Crown dropped those charges before they went to trial. His lawyer told the Free Press both alleged victims recanted their stories.

www.mikeoncrime.com