A Toronto police officer involved in the Project South probe had a planned guilty plea delayed in court due to new information that could impact the proceedings, as revealed by his defense counsel. Constable Elias Mouawad faced charges related to unauthorized use of a police computer system and breach of trust in February as part of an extensive investigation into police corruption and organized crime.
During a court session on Tuesday, Mouawad’s lawyer, Peter Brauti, requested a postponement to investigate certain conduct that might affect the sentencing process. The Crown prosecutor, Samuel Walker, agreed to the adjournment, clarifying that the conduct under review did not involve the Crown’s actions and had emerged recently, necessitating further examination.
Brauti, speaking outside the courthouse, emphasized that his client should not have been associated with Project South, asserting that Mouawad’s involvement was distinct from the serious allegations of misconduct within the project. He clarified that Mouawad’s actions, involving an unauthorized check on a single occasion, were unrelated to the broader issues of drug trafficking and corruption.
The Project South inquiry commenced in June 2025 after York Regional Police thwarted an alleged assassination plot targeting a senior corrections officer at Toronto South Detention Centre. Subsequent investigations revealed that Toronto police officer Timothy Barnhardt had allegedly disclosed confidential information about a corrections officer to a civilian, leading to a broader probe into police corruption associated with organized crime.
In total, Project South has resulted in charges against six Toronto police officers, one retired constable, and 19 civilians. Another former Toronto police officer previously pleaded guilty to two charges in the investigation and received a conditional sentence. Mouawad, accused of unlawfully querying a license plate and sharing the information with a civilian linked to the investigation, is set to enter a plea, according to his lawyer.
Despite the allegations, the charges against Mouawad and the other individuals have yet to be tested in court. Brauti expressed his client’s intention to take responsibility for his actions, highlighting the delay in the plea process and emphasizing the need for a more accurate portrayal of Mouawad’s involvement. Mouawad is scheduled to return to court on September 16 for further proceedings.