Man charged after attacking intruder

A Toronto man is facing an aggravated assault charge that could land him in prison for up to 14 years after he attacked an intruder with a knife, claiming self defence.

The trouble started when couple Sarah Walsh and Moses Mahilal got home early one morning last July, and immediately sensed something was amiss.
 
The front door to their home near Keele and Eglinton was ajar, and there was an unfamiliar pair of large black shoes in the front hallway.

Walsh called 911, while Mahilal grabbed a large kitchen knife and began searching the home. They were both worried about Sarah’s mom, Kimberly, who was home sleeping at the time.

Mahilal discovered the intruder, a man named Kino Johnson, hiding behind the door of Kimberly’s bedroom.

“I had goosebumps…I was completely scared,” said Mahilal.

“I didn’t know what I was up against.”

“His hands weren’t visible at the time, I didn’t know if he was reaching into his back pocket.”

A struggle ensued and Mahilal ended up stabbing Johnson, who fled and later called police.

Johnson suffered a collapsed lung and several slash wounds, spending a few weeks in hospital recovering.

Mahilal was charged with aggravated assault.

He maintains he was acting in self defence, but Johnson says he was trying to run away when attacked.

“I don’t feel like I did anything wrong here,” Mahilal  told CityNews in an exclusive interview.

“I feel like I should be the victim and he’s turned into the victim. It’s so strange. All I did was protect myself from harm, and my girlfriend and her mother.”

Johnson was eventually sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to break and enter and possessing stolen property.

Mahilal will have a preliminary hearing on September 12, and his lawyer hopes the charges will be dropped.

“We give people like this medals, we don’t put them in jail. And for him to be in this situation now is really outrageous,” said attorney Daniel Brown.

Regardless of the outcome in court, Mahilal’s girlfriend believes he could have potentially saved her life, and regards him as a hero

“Without Moses I don’t know if I would be alive today,” she said.

“I feel like (the system) has completely failed us, I mean if anybody did anything wrong it’s the police. “

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today