New details emerge in deadly attack on Owen Sound, Ont. restaurant owner

The three men charged in the death of 44-year-old Sharif Rahman of Owen Sound have consented to be extradited to Canada from Scotland.

Rahman owned and operated The Curry House in downtown Owen Sound when he was reportedly attacked during what police describe as an argument over an unpaid bill on August 17, 2023.

Larry Davidson an Owen Sound local said, “You associate this stuff with big cities. This is only 30,000 people in Owen Sound, and everybody knows everybody.”

Robert Evans Jr. is charged with manslaughter, while his father and uncle have been charged with accessory after the fact to commit an indictable offence.

During an extradition hearing in Edinburgh, Scotland, all three men consented to being sent back to Canada to face the charges. The final decision now rests with the Scottish government.

Rahman’s death sparked outrage and sorrow throughout the community. Owen Sound Police Dept. Chief Dave Bishop says Rahman was a respected and well-liked local business owner.

“I think what that really speaks to is Sharif’s position in the community that he earned over the years living here through his business and the friendships he created,” Bishop said. “Very likeable person and a very valuable member of the community.”

Dept. Chief Bishop says the Owen Sound Police Service and the OPP have spent countless hours piecing the investigation together.

“It was a very complex investigation,” Bishop said. “A lot of the details haven’t come out and won’t until court, but this really was a ‘whodunit’ at the start. There were literally thousands of hours of digital evidence that went under examination to come up with the results we have today.”

“There was a big outpouring to support his wife and family,” said Kathy Pyke another local.

“The community wants to see justice done, and this is just another step on the road toward that,” said Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy.

Sharif Rahman, who was born in Bangladesh, was deeply rooted in the Owen Sound community. He purchased The Curry House on Main Street in 2015, and his family continues to operate the restaurant today.