Opening statements, witnesses in Day 2 of Bagabuyo trial piece together Mohd Abdullah’s last days

KAMLOOPS — The second day of former Kamloops lawyer Rogelio ‘Butch’ Bagabuyo’s trial saw an opening statement delivered by the Crown prosecution, along with a series of witness accounts.

Bagabuyo is facing a first-degree murder charge in relation to the death of his former client, Mohd Abdullah. Abdullah’s remains were discovered in the back of a van parked in a Dufferin cul de sac in March of 2022. This came six days after he’d been reported missing.

In a lengthy first day of proceedings on Monday, there were nearly 60 exhibits of evidence filed.

By Tuesday, opening statements from Crown counsel were delivered, prior to the first three witnesses being called to the stand.

According to opening statements made by Crown prosecutor Anna Saettler, Abdullah had sought legal assistance from Bagabuyo in 2016 while going through a divorce. It was during this time that the two reportedly planned to have Bagabuyo handle a little more than $770,000 of Abdullah’s money to prevent him from losing it in his divorce settlement.

Eventually, Abdullah wanted the funds returned to him and a meeting was arranged with Bagabuyo at his law office on Victoria Street in downtown Kamloops for the afternoon of March 11, 2022.

Prosecution described how Abdullah was seen on video surveillance leaving the Thompson Rivers University area that day on a transit bus and arriving downtown for that meeting.

“The forensic pathologist (will testify) that Mr. Abdullah died from multiple stab wounds to the upper left chest area and neck,” said Saettler. “I expect the court will hear evidence that some of the stab wounds penetrated the heart.”

Opening statements from Crown went on to describe that forensic evidence from the second-floor office included splattered blood near the top of the stairs, along with Abdullah’s DNA.

Bagabuyo allegedly put the body into a large storage tote, which was moved to his Black Honda Pilot parked outside.

After this, Saettler said Bagabuyo arranged to have a friend of his who lived in the Dufferin area help rent a van and find an area to dispose of the large storage tote.

Irene and Wynand Rautenbach both appeared in the witness box Tuesday, with the latter describing his longstanding friendship with Bagabuyo and how several years ago, the former lawyer helped the Rautenbachs with a tenant dispute at no financial charge to them.

The now-87-year-old described how in March of 2022, Bagabuyo came “desperately” to his door, seeking his help to rent a van and get rid of some items. Rautenbach says when he agreed to help Bagabuyo and rent the van in his name, he had no idea there was a body in the large storage bin.

“It didn’t cross my mind at all.”

The Dufferin couple’s grandson Justin Robertson, who was living in their basement suite at the time, testified that he and his grandmother had become suspicious about Bagabuyo’s request of the grandfather.

Eventually, Robertson says he decided to look in the van and the large tote inside, covered with a tarp and closed with ratchet straps. Robertson described seeing a sock covered foot and a leg in jeans, and quickly shut the lid.

“I just had this sinking feeling,” says Robertson, “and ringing in my ears.”

He says he went back inside, spoke with his family and called 9-1-1. Minutes later, RCMP arrived at the home.

With respect to the status of Abdullah’s money, the Crown described how the forensic account will show that the more than $770,000 was used on Bagabuyo’s living expenses and the money is now gone.

The first three weeks of Bagabuyo’s trial are scheduled to take place in Kamloops Law Courts, before moving to Vancouver.