Officer in Project South case has sought guilty plea since February

A Toronto police officer charged in the Project South corruption investigation has been trying to enter a guilty plea since February, according to his lawyer. In court on Tuesday, lawyer Peter Brauti said Const. Elias Mouawad wanted to plead guilty soon after being charged, but the Crown was not ready to accept a plea because it was still dealing with disclosure issues in the large and complex case. Mouawad was arrested in early February and suspended without pay. He had expected his plea and sentencing to take place on Tuesday, but a lastminute conduct issue delayed the proceedings. The court has now adjourned until Sept. 16. Brauti said outside court that his client believes he was unfairly caught up in the investigation and that the allegation against him is separate from the more serious conduct described in Project South. The case is part of a broader corruption probe that began after the attempted murder of a Toronto jail guard in June 2025.