The man accused of killing a young, female security guard on Kelowna’s UBCO campus attended court for the start of a preliminary inquiry, on April 17.
The inquiry, which is taking place in Kelowna’s Provincial Court, is being held to determine whether there is enough evidence to move forward with the murder trial.
Dante Ognibene-Hebbourn,22, is being held in custody after being accused of killing Harmandeep Kaur, who was 24 years old at the time of her death.
He appeared in person, dressed in a red prison outfit and was seated in the prisoners box.
He is charged with second degree murder, which means that the attack was not pre-meditated.
Kaur was attacked on Feb. 26, 2022 while working the night shift as a security guard at UBCO. She later died at the Kelowna General Hospital.
Ognibene-Hebbourn was working as a night janitor on the campus on the night of the attack. Immediately after the incident he was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and was taken to the hospital.
He has since been charged and arrested and has undergone psychiatric evaluations.
READ MORE: Man charged in death of UBCO security guard undergoes psychiatric evaluation
Kaur had moved to Canada from India six years prior to the incident in an effort to “progress her life,” said Kuljit Pabla, a family member of Kaur’s who resides in West Kelowna. He spoke to Capital News shortly after the incident.
Pabla explained that Kaur’s family chose to send her to Canada because they consider it to be a safe place. “Usually it is.”
Kaur initially went to school in the Lower Mainland, but to improve her chances of being granted permanent residency, she pause her dreams of further education and decided to start working.
“She worked many jobs to fast-track her permanent residency,” said Pabla.
Kaur had been granted her permanent residency just three weeks prior to the devastating attack. Pabla said she and her family were elated.
Most recently, she had been working for Paladin security as an officer at UBCO, hoping to one day attend school there, said Pabla.
“Her goal was to continue (her) education as she saved up money, with support from the family,” he said.
He said that when spending time together, Kaur would tell him and his wife “I want to be like them,” when she saw the students on campus at the university where she worked security. “She wanted to be there as a student,” said Pabla.
The preliminary inquiry is scheduled for four days.
At the conclusion of the preliminary inquiry, the judge will determine if there is enough evidence to move forward with a trial.
READ MORE: UBCO homicide victim new resident to Canada