How a Canadian convicted sex offender came to Ghana to set up a charity
A Canadian man convicted of sex assault, David Pickton travelled to Ghana several times and established a charity. But not many Ghanaians knew about it. Those who did, it was because they probably read a small news item published 14 years ago, and might have forgotten.
Yesterday in far away Canada, something happened, that kept Ghanaians talking, left them divided, but it brought back that story. A Canadian convicted sex offender was given visa, and he travelled to Ghana many times without being flagged and even set up a non-profit organisation registered at the Registrar-General’s Department – Pickton Foundation.
A simple name search on the portal of the Registrar of Companies of Ghana brought out the name Pickton Foundation twice, registered as a company limited by guarantee.
The news that Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey has been barred from entering Canada, and for that matter, he won’t be playing for Ghana in that country at the ongoing World Cup being hosted by three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico, generated conversations and triggered mixed reactions in the country.
The two incidents bring attention to the immigration laws and systems of Canada and Ghana.
Partey is currently standing trial in the UK on accusations of sexual assault. But he has been granted leave by the British court to continue to work as a footballer while the trial continues. He was therefore invited to join the Black Stars team for the 2026 World Cup. While the US has granted him visa and allowed him into the country, Canada has denied him visa, barring him from entering the country on account of the ongoing trial in the UK.
The news divided the country. Some Ghanaians think the offence of sex assault is too serious not to sanction the accused even if he has not been found guilty yet by a court. But others are arguing that he has not yet been found guilty by any court of competent jurisdiction, and therefore, should be free to travel.
On the other hand, however, the convicted Pickton was given a visa and allowed to enter Ghana many times, and set up a charity. The website of the charity has been taken down, be there is a screenshot of the home page we have dug out.
David is also the brother of serial killer Robert Pickton who has been convicted for the killing of six women and jailed for life. Even though Robert was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder, he is officially believed to have killed at least 26 women. The DNA or remains of 33 women were discovered on his Port Coquitlam, British Columbia pig farm, and he is reported to have confessed to an undercover police officer that he murdered 49 women in total.
David sexually assaulted the plaintiff in the early 1990s. He was convicted for the assault, but many years later, the victim filed a lawsuit against him seeking approximately $1 million in damages. She alleged that amongst other injuries, the assault caused her pain and suffering and resulted in a loss of past and future earnings.
Six weeks before the trial was set to begin, David offered to settle the lawsuit for $50,000. Approximately 90 minutes after the offer was made, the woman’s lawyer notified David’s lawyer that the offer was rejected. The case proceeded to trial before a jury.
The victim testified in court that David cornered her inside a trailer on a construction site where they worked, pressed her up against a wall and groped her genitals over her jeans. After being interrupted by a co-worker David allegedly threatened to rape and kill her, according to court documents cited by news sources in Canada.
The victim also told the court that after she had filed a police report about the 1991 incident, a machine operator who was friends with Pickton threatened her that she would be “cut into pieces” if she didn’t leave town.
Jurors awarded the then 55-year-old woman $45,000, including $20,000 in punitive damages that her lawyer said was intended as a deterrent.
Pickton was convicted of sexual assault in 1992, for which he received a $1,000 fine and was sentenced to one year of probation.
The woman’s lawyer Jason Gratl was quoted as saying at that time that his client was hospitalized in 1999 and 2002 for mental breakdowns. She also testified that she vomited when she saw Pickton on TV in 2002, after his brother was linked to the series of murders of women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
According to news reports, Pickton declined comment when he was contacted about the verdict.
However, his lawyer Ian Donaldson told the media he did not consider the result a defeat but rather commended the jury for dismissing the vast majority of the woman’s claims, which he said amounted to well over $1 million.
“She was awarded zero under several different heads of damages sought,” Donaldson told the media.
During closing arguments, Donaldson had said the woman could be awarded a small sum for the sexual assault.
He said of the $600,000 the woman claimed for past loss of income only $20,000 was awarded. He added that the jury outright dismissed the $200,000 she claimed for future loss of income.
These two cases clearly set out what the immigration systems of the two countries look like.
By Emmanuel K Dogbevi