Activity of the accused questioned at murder trial

As legal arguments between the Crown and defence lawyers continue to heat up before Justice Marc Garson at the retrial of Boris Panovski at the Elgin County Courthouse in St. Thomas, some evidence was heard throughout the day.

The trial, which is slated to last six weeks, has heard a number of witnesses testify about the 10-year-old case via zoom.

Among them on Thursday was Amr Saber, who was the general manager of the World Gym in Scarborough and the same location that the accused was a member at.

Saber testified that on Sept. 15, 2014 and two days following the shooting death of Toronto-area businessman Don Frigo, Panovski cancelled his gym membership.

“He said he was moving, leaving the country,” said Saber. “I asked where and he (Panovski) responded that he wasn’t sure.”

On Wednesday, the court heard that on that same day, Panovski had purchased luggage and booked a flight to Macedonia.

Frigo and the accused were both known to each other for a number of years through bird dog competitions. Frigo as an owner and Panovski as a trainer.

While at an event at the Hullet Marsh, north of Clinton in the fall of 2014, Frigo was shot to death while on horseback with his wife Eva. She was wounded but survived the ordeal.

In 2018, after a trial in Goderich, Panovski was found guilty of first degree murder but a retrial was ordered last spring it was learned that the case would be moved to St. Thomas.

Once again, Panovski has pleaded not guilty.

The Crown’s case is continuing.