Accused to defend Pyrmont murder charge on mental health grounds
Jawid Jawid, the man charged with the stabbing murder of his friend Mohammed Bashir Zaheer at a Pyrmont apartment building on Thursday, will defend the murder charge based on mental health grounds, according to his lawyer.
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A man charged with stabbing a Pyrmont building manager and friend of 25 years to death is expected to admit to involvement in the incident but will fight the murder charge on mental health grounds, according to his lawyer.
Dressed in a white hospital gown, Jawid Jawid appeared in Parramatta Bail Court today accused of murdering a Pyrmont building manager Mohammed Bashir Zaheer.
Police allege Jawid, 41, stabbed his boss Mr Zaheer, 44, to death at the Mirage apartment complex on Bunn St in Pyrmont on Thursday morning.
The court heart he then fled in his car and wasn’t found until hours later on a street in Parramatta, unconscious and intoxicated.
Jawid did not apply for bail and the matter was adjourned to September 22 at Central Local Court.
Outside court his lawyer Zemarai Khatiz said his client had battled mental health issues for 30 years and that was a factor in the stabbing.
“The charge of murder will be defended,” he said.
“His state of mind at the relevant time will be a very relevant factor.
“We will also be relying on mental health defences in relation to the matter.
“He is admitting to the act of stabbing him but in relation to whether it will be murder or manslaughter that will be a matter for the trial.”
Mr Khatiz said Jawid and the victim had been friends for 25 years but Jawid claimed he had been “psychologically abused by the victim for about five years”.