Supreme Court affirms murder conviction of man who argued he was unfit for trial

The Supreme Court of Canada is pictured in Ottawa on Monday, June 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld the murder conviction of a man who argued he was unfit to stand trial because he experienced auditory hallucinations and schizophrenic delusions throughout the proceedings.

In a ruling issued today, the top court accepts the trial judge’s finding that there were no reasonable grounds to believe Mohamed Adam Bharwani did not understand the reality of his trial.

Bharwani was 18 in early 2013 when he moved into a basement apartment in Toronto with other tenants, including a 23-year-old student.

Five days later, he attacked the student, striking her with a fireplace poker and then strangling her to death.

Bharwani was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

A jury ultimately found Bharwani fit to stand trial and he was convicted of first-degree murder.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press