A man accused of committing five sexual assaults near Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre last summer has entered a guilty plea. Donovan Mohammed, presented in court by a sheriff’s officer on Friday afternoon, quietly acknowledged his guilt to his lawyer. The assaults occurred within a one-hour span on the evening of July 2, 2025, in close proximity to HSC.
Following his arrest the day after the assaults, Mohammed confessed to the crimes to the police, mentioning his failure to take prescribed medication. During the arrest, law enforcement discovered a knife with an eight-inch blade concealed in Mohammed’s waistband, along with a visitor slip from the Health Sciences Centre on the day of the incidents.
The assaults involved strangers, including some nurses leaving work after their shifts, with several incidents captured on surveillance footage. Although the victims provided detailed descriptions of Mohammed consistent with the videos, they did not positively identify him in a photo lineup presented in court.
Mohammed’s defense attorney, Sierra Bednarz, stated that while Mohammed claimed a lack of clear memory regarding the events, they thoroughly reviewed the case evidence. Mohammed admitted to the allegations as presented by Bednarz in court.
Prosecutors have agreed to a maximum of eight years in prison for Mohammed, considering his custody since the arrest last year. The sentencing principle under the Criminal Code aims to prevent excessively lengthy or severe penalties.
In the first assault of the evening, Mohammed targeted a 14-year-old girl around 6:50 p.m., attempting to forcibly remove her pants. Following subsequent assaults on three other women within the same hour, Mohammed assaulted a pregnant woman, causing her physical distress.
Mohammed is slated for sentencing next year, with other charges against him dismissed.
