Ontario murder trial begins for man once Canadas most wanted fugitive [Video]

The judge-alone trial has begun for Abilaziz Mohamed, who was once Canada’s most wanted fugitive.

Mohamed, who was arrested just hours after being named atop the BOLO program’s “Top 25” list on April 26, 2022, was in court Wednesday as the prime suspect in the second-degree murder of Craig Macdonald.

Macdonald, a 43-year-old father, was shot to death outside a Boston Pizza Restaurant on Cinemart Drive in Scarborough on Oct. 13, 2021.

On Monday, Mohamed pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, but guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. However, assistant Crown attorney Sean Hickey told Justice Michael Brown the Crown was rejecting that plea and was proceeding with the trial for second-degree murder.

According to an agreed statement of facts, MacDonald and Mohamed became involved in an altercation on the Boston Pizza patio and in the parking lot. During the course of the fight, Mohamed shot MacDonald in the chest with a .32 calibre semi-automatic handgun.

Police and other …