A man accused of killing a South Asian cab driver was convicted of second-degree murder by a Canadian court Tuesday.
Okoth Obeing, 23, fatally stabbed 44-year-old Balvir Toor in his taxi on Burrows Avenue in Winnipeg on March 19, 2020. The incident, according to prosecutors, was fueled by animosity toward South Asian people and cab drivers over past experiences.
Manitoba’s Court of Kings Bench, the highest trial court in the Canadian province, found that Obeing stabbed Toor 17 times.
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“The events of March 19, 2020, are profoundly tragic,” Justice Joan McKelvey said, per CTV News. “An innocent man, Balvir Toor, was stabbed to death as a consequence of the accused’s fuelled-rage action.”
Obeing has a history of bipolar disorder, requiring the court to determine whether he was sane at the time of the crime. Forensic psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Waldman reportedly testified that Obeing had failed to use conscious thought when he killed Toor, but McKelvey said the assessment failed to consider his non-psychotic motives.
The court found that Obeing fled from the scene, disposed of his weapon, washed his hands and lied to the police.
“His racism, anger, frustration and feelings of disrespect fuelled this impulsive act of violence,” McKelvey said, as per CBC News. “He had never before acted in such an overtly aggressive and violent manner despite many manic episodes.”
“The accused intended his act and knew what he was doing and was able to understand the physical consequences that would flow from his actions,” she added.
Obeing is scheduled to be sentenced on April 27.
