A. Newsmagazine - The Fifth Estate (CBC): The Life and Death of Abdinasir Dirie

The extent of the documentary, The Life and Death of Abdinasir Dirie, directed and produced by Scott Anderson on CBC’s The Fifth Estate, is based on a true story about the unsolved murder case of a twenty year old Toronto born Somalian man named Abdinasir Dirie, or G Baby, as his family called him. Abdinasir’s family immigrated to Canada in the 1990’s hoping to start a new life of prosperity, leaving the violence and poverty of their past behind them. Abdinasir is the last of 3 siblings to be born, but the first to be born in Canada. His parents and two older sisters describe him to be humorous, determined but craved recognition and respect.

Being brought up in a rough neighbourhood of Jamestown Crescent, Abdinasir fell into the wrong crowd in high school and began to develop a rough personality. Prior to attending post-secondary, Abdinasir made the decision to travel to Calgary, Alberta so that he can work, save money, then return and go back to school. During his stay in Alberta, he was in contact with his sister-in-law and occasionally ate at a Somalian community kitchen.

All the while he was in Alberta, the youngest of his two older sisters went missing. It turned out that his sister along with her bestfriend was offered an all expenses paid trip to Jamaica from a good friend of theirs. Little did they know they were being set up to smuggle marijuana back to Canada. When they were caught at the airport they were arrested and placed in jail. To this day they are still in jail, but refuse to reveal who set them up for they fear their lives and the safety of their families in Canada.

A day after Abinasir’s sister was arrested, their parents received a phone call revealing devastating news that Abinasir was shot and murdered in his Alberta apartment. A friend that was with Abinasir earlier that night explains that he was robbed and murdered by his own Somalian peers who visited him that night. One of the individuals that were involved with the murder slipped and let word out of who exactly was responsible for the death of Abinasir. His sister-in-law, along with the rest of the Somalian community of Alberta know exactly who the murderer is, complained to the police, but still there has been no arrest and the case still remains unsolved.