Conditional sentence for grief-stricken bank robber

Conditional sentence for grief-stricken bank robber

Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, March 14, 2008

A young man who lost his family in an arson fire and then robbed two Vancouver banks in a “desperate act” to provide for his pregnant fiance was given a 20-month conditional sentence today.

Bolingo Etibako, 18, thanked Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Joe Galati for the conditional sentence, saying he was “truly sorry for this stupid decision I made” and promised not to disappoint him.

Etibako, who pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery in connection with two bank holdups in January, will spend about a third of his sentence under house arrest. A third robbery charge was stayed.

Bank robbery is a federal offence and usually carries a minimum two- to nine-year prison term.

Crown counsel Helen James asked for an eight- to 12-month prison sentence followed by probation, noting that Etibako had a “very disturbing background” but that the robberies were on the serious end of the scale.

Etibako walked into the two banks, both on West 10th Avenue, and demanded $10,000 from the manager, threatening to take hostages if he didn’t get the money. He never produced a weapon, but indicated he had one under his jacket.

James said the bank managers had reported that Etibako was “intimidating and threatening” when demanding the money. Yet, she added, his tune seemed to change when he was given cash, and at times was apologetic, telling one teller “‘I’m sorry, eh … this is my job, Robin Hood,'” James said.

He was caught by police shortly after the first robbery with some dyed bills; the second robbery was committed shortly after he got out of jail and the haul included “bait” $20 notes.

Galati ruled a conditional sentence was appropriate given Etibako’s age and history. But he weighted it with a list of conditions, including weapons and alcohol prohibitions, house arrest for six months, curfews, counselling for his anger and potential mental health problems and a no-go order within a two-block radius of the banks he robbed.

Galati also warned Etibako that if he breaks any of the conditions, he could face jail time.

“If you’re out past your curfew or do what you’re not supposed to be doing … and you get caught, you’ll be brought back, not in front of another judge, but in front of me,” Galati said.

“I gave you what you should definitely consider a break this time. It’s up to you to consider whether I’ll give you a break a second time.”

Defence counsel David Karp said that if Etibako – a permanent resident of Canada – was given a two-year jail term he could be deported back to the Congo, where he emigrated from with his family when he was nine. Although that risk still exists, Karp said said, it’s not as significant.

He said Etibako has learned his lesson while spending two months in jail. The robberies, he said, “were acts of a desperate man” who had suffered a great deal as a boy.

Etibako was the only survivor of an arson attack against his family’s East Vancouver home that killed his mother, three siblings and his then-girlfriend in 2006.

“He was very desperate to provide for [his fiance] and have a life for himself and his family,” Karp said. “He was in a situation where he wasn’t able to earn money to where he went to being in custody for two months. He realizes this isn’t the way to go.”

He said the robberies were “unsophisticated crimes” and Etibako wants to get back on track. He has the support of his aunt and brother, he said, as well as members of his church, the Calvary Worship Centre in New Westminster.

Etibako, who will live in New Westminster, also asked for house arrest.

“I feel this is good for me because I’ll get the services I need to get better. Being locked up is not what I need,” Etibako said prior to sentencing. “I’m really sorry for these events and I can’t believe what I was going through.”