Non-citizen criminal frequent flier pleads guilty to another breach

Adding to his rap sheet, Eritrean refugee Medhani Yohans recently pleaded guilty to breaching bail in Guelph

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Published Jun 18, 2026  •  3 minute read

Medhani Yohans Photo by Guelph Police

Medhani Yohans doesn’t appear bothered about breaching bail or probation.

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The Eritrean refugee has done it countless times with little apparent impact and no sign of him being booted from the country.

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Yohans, 37, pleaded guilty to breaching bail in a Guelph courtroom on Monday, according to Guelph Today. He was sentenced to nine months in jail, minus time served, leaving about 70 days in the slammer.

And in a particularly Draconian move, Justice Matthew Stanley barred Yohans from Downtown Guelph for three years. Yohans was also ordered to serve three years of probation.

Criminal frequent flier

“(The) sentence today, this is not for what he might do, it can only be for what has done,” Stanley told Yohans, who was assisted by a Tigrinya interpreter.

His most recent sentence is for breaching a probation order handed down on Feb. 2.

As part of his conditions, Yohans was not to be within 100 metres of where an unnamed individual lives, works or is known to frequent. It took him just one hour to violate the probation order after his release.

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Guelph Today reports that Yohans had gone to the local probation office indicating he wanted to go to Ontario Works. He was told to take a more roundabout route because a shorter way could cause him to breach probation.

Crown attorney Josh White said instead, Yohans passed in from of the establishment. He was arrested four minutes later.

Considered high-risk offender

“When someone hears an individual has walked in front of a commercial establishment on their way to Ontario Works, that on its own may not appear to be the most serious offence,” Judge Stanley said. “(But) as indicated, the criminal record is aggravating.

“It’s lengthy. There are multiple related convictions. These sentences raise that difficult balance that occurs between protection of the public and respect for the law.”

Yohans’ antics date to Jan. 11, 2023.

At that time, he entered into a three-year peace bond with the unnamed individual in connection with an incident at their workplace. He was ordered not to be within 100 metres of the complainant.

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Images of Medhani Yohans (Guelph Police)

Yohans is no stranger to the public eye. Cops have released numerous bulletins warning of his release, describing him as a high-risk offender with a history of violence. That rap sheet includes sex assaults on two strangers.

One of his victims “remains fearful.” But getting rid of him appears to be a problem.

He is not a Canadian citizen, struggles with the language, a lengthy criminal record and “major mental illness.” Yohans was smuggled into Canada via Europe.

‘Appreciate immigration consequences’

Removing him would deliver Yohans into a volatile situation in Eritrea, his lawyer, Nicholas Gehl, said.

But there are fears given his penchant for sexually offending and a refusal to follow court orders.

“I appreciate there may be immigration consequences, but this court does not deal with the immigration issue directly,” Stanley said. “While I can consider it as a collateral consequence, it doesn’t enable me to impose an otherwise inappropriate sentence.”

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A Canada Border Services Agency source told the Toronto Sun in February that there is a deportation order for Yohans.

He can’t be removed: CBSA source

“There is more than enough blame to go around on this guy,” the  CBSA source told the Sun.

“First, he originally came here as a sponsored refugee from Eritrea. So even though there is a Deportation Order against him, he can’t be removed because he’s a ‘Protected Person.’ It is the only thing that overrides that is a ‘Danger Opinion.’”

The source added that given his history of sexual violence, Yohans would be a prime candidate for getting the boot.

“We tried getting one and … surprise, surprise … were shot down by headquarters. Apparently, his sexual assault convictions aren’t enough to label him a Danger.”

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@HunterTOSun

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