Ottawa police announced Saturday that Gibriil Bakal, 31, has been arrested in Türkiye, more than two years after he was identified as a suspect in Ottawa's first homicide of 2024. Bakal appeared in court on the same day following his arrest, which was triggered by an Interpol biometric alert at the Turkish border.
Interpol Red Notice Leads to Arrest
According to police, Bakal's fingerprints matched those on an Interpol Red Notice, a global law enforcement alert system that helps authorities identify and apprehend wanted individuals worldwide. Turkish authorities confirmed his identity and notified the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who then contacted the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).
Bakal was wanted for the first-degree murder of Jama Roble, 33, who died in hospital on February 8, 2024, from gunshot injuries sustained on January 29 of that year. First responders were called to the shooting scene on the 100 block of Champagne Avenue South at approximately 1:15 p.m.
Bolo Program Involvement
Bakal was ranked 19th on the Bolo Program's list of Canada's 25 most wanted suspects. The OPS expressed gratitude to its policing and justice partners, as well as the Bolo Program, for their assistance in amplifying the wanted notice nationally.
In February 2024, police made an arrest in connection with the Little Italy homicide. Sharmaake Abdi Hire, 28, was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities continue to seek information from the public.
