An Okanagan resident has pleaded guilty to charges of wilful promotion of hatred, police announced on Friday.
According to the RCMP, Kibwe Ngoie-Ntombe, an Australian man living in Kelowna, pled guilty to one count of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and one count of wilful promotion of hatred.
Police say his sentencing is set for Jan. 17, 2022, noting he was charged by the RCMP’s War Crimes Section following a criminal investigation that was named Project Arrow.
The pleas were made in B.C. provincial court on Dec. 16 in Kelowna. Originally, he was facing several charges.
The RCMP said the investigation was led by its Extraterritorial and Sensitive Investigations team, a part of the force’s Sensitive and International Investigations section.
Police said they received a complaint related to videos circulating online in which a man was alleged to have uttered threats towards people living in the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The quick action of the investigators allowed for the immediate intervention and stopped the continuation of the offences,” police said in a press release.
The RCMP noted they received assistance from several agencies, including the Canada Border Services Agency, the FBI and the Australian Federal Police.
“I am very proud of the women and men who worked together on this investigation. These highly skilled police officers and civilian employees had to review very graphic material in the pursuit of justice,” said RCMP Insp. François Courtemanche.
“Their collective efforts have combined to send a message that the willful promotion of hatred and propagation of intolerance is not accepted in Canada, and I am hopeful that this early resolution will provide some closure and peace to the victims.”
The RCMP noted that “using Canada as the launching point to distribute messages of hate and promoting violence against marginalized ethnic groups anywhere is not acceptable, and the RCMP remains committed to detecting, disrupting and deterring these types of offences.”
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