Woman who survived stabbing attack that killed her mother testifies at father's murder trial

The daughter of a man accused of killing her mother and of trying to kill her in a stabbing attack in Ottawa's west end in June 2021 took the stand at his trial Thursday.

The daughter, whom CTV News is not naming, told court about several instances of alleged abuse she witnessed, including one time in 2013, when she saw her father "holding a knife" to her mother before he allegedly said, "I'm going to kill you."

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The woman, now 26, told court that by the time she was nine her mother Hanadi Mohamed had been hit "more than once" and they had sought refuge at shelters, hotels and Airbnb's over the years "due to abuse."

Hamid Ayoub has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and attempted murder. He had earlier pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of second-degree murder and aggravated assault, but the Crown rejected the plea.

Court heard that, for a time, no one other than Mohamed and her daughter knew where they were living—not even her brother.

"We thought it was best, just in case he would be followed," the daughter said.

"And who would be doing the following?" asked assistant Crown attorney Louise Tansey.

"The accused," the woman replied.

She said at one point, Ayoub sent a text with a screenshot of where they were living.

"He said it wasn't hard to figure out where we were staying," the daughter testified.

"What did you take from that?" Tansey asked.

"I didn't really respond because I was still in shock," she replied.

Mohamed and her children came to Canada from Sudan in 2007, after Ayoub.

Their daughter was asked about how acceptable divorce or separation is in a Muslim home.

"That is something that is difficult to see. It's not something they encourage so usually when a divorce or separation is wanted, family friends or supporters would just push the family to just stay together regardless … they will just conclude to just stay together and not break the family," she told court.

"Did you have that kind of pressure for your family to stay together?" Tansey asked.

"Yes," she answered.

The woman told court her parents' separation in 2020 was "different" than the times before because Mohamed was not being pressured to keep the family together.

The woman recalled a time in 2012 when she said her mom was screaming for her and her brother.

"She was scared, crying. Prior to that I heard hitting sounds and then she called our names we just knew it was one of those moments again," she said.

The woman told court that Ayoub was injured in a car accident in 2020 and that she and her brother helped him with household chores and schoolwork after her mother encouraged them to spend time with their dad despite them not being in a relationship.

The woman then told court about a "family meeting" at the Rideau Centre and how her mom was reluctant at first but ultimately agreed.

"She was very nervous but at the same time wasn't as worried because it was in a public place," the woman said.

The trial is scheduled to last until mid-October.