Ontario Review Board
Re: Unguec Ajongo
ORB File No: 7895
Hearing held on: Monday, August 18, 2025
Place of Hearing: Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. P. Capelle
Members: Dr. W. Sutton
Dr. S. Lessard
Ms. M. Labrosse
Mr. A. Bouvier
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Unguec Ajongo Counsel: Ms. M. McMahon
Person in charge of the hospital: Representative Dr. A. Sandhu
Attorney-General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. J. Wright
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated October 2, 2025)
Introduction
On May 19, 2021, the accused, Unguec Ajongo, was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder on charges of Break and enter with intent, Assault, Uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, Break and Enter a dwelling house with intent, Aggravated Assault, Obstruct/ Resist Public/Peace Officer, and Assault a Peace Officer, all contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.
Mr. Ajongo is currently subject to a disposition of the Ontario Review Board dated August 26, 2024, which discharges him on certain terms and conditions.
On August 18, 2025, the Ontario Review Board convened a hearing at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, hereinafter referred to as the hospital, to review Mr. Ajongo’s disposition pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. Ajongo attended his hearing and was represented by his counsel, Ms. Meaghan McMahon. Iman Babul, his addictions counsellor and Steve Su, his Forensic Case Manager were both in attendance.
The issues for this hearing are whether Mr. Ajongo continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and, if so, to determine the disposition that is necessary and appropriate in the circumstances.
For the reasons set out below, the Board finds that Mr. Ajongo continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and that a conditional discharge, with reduced reporting and the removal of the consent to treatment provision, is the necessary and appropriate disposition to manage the risk at this time.
Index Offences
- The circumstances of the index offences have been extracted from the hospital report and are summarized as follows:
“On March 1, 2021, Mr. Ajongo Mr. Ajongo approached Mr. Nigel Bigby and his dog at 60 Daly Ave as they were entering their apartment complex. Surveillance cameras captured the subsequent events. Mr. Nigel Bigby stopped Mr. Ajongo from entering the building, informing him that he could not enter the establishment because he did not live there. Mr. Ajongo pushed past Mr. Bigby and entered into the main entryway on the first floor. Once inside the building, Mr. Ajongo continued to follow Mr. Bigby around and kept asking about his dog. Mr. Bigby walked towards the superintendent, Mr. Robert Nevins’, unit (108) with Mr. Ajongo following.
Mr. Ajongo then started to attack Mr. Bigby’s dog, after which Mr. Bigby began yelling: “Help! Bob!” Mr. Bigby attempted to get away and walked into a neighboring unit (106) to seek help. Mr. Garth Abernethy, the owner of the unit, saw Mr. Ajongo grab at Mr. Bigby’s dog and got both men out of his unit before calling 911. In the meantime, Mr. Nevins (the superintendent) heard the commotion and came out of his own unit to help. By then, Mr. Bigby was being assisted by another resident who had witnessed the scene, Mr. Nicolas Bergeron (unit 105), in an attempt to flee and escape through a fire door. Mr. Nevins assisted Mr. Bergeron in holding the fire door closed so that Mr. Ajongo could not get through. Mr. Bergeron then fled to his apartment, after which Mr. Ajongo pushed the fire door open, overpowering Mr. Nevins and pinning him behind the door. Mr. Ajongo then proceeded to punch Mr. Nevins once, after which he fell to the ground. Mr. Ajongo then got on top of him and punched him five to ten times in the head. Mr. Nevins said that Mr. Ajongo kicked him several times, continuously asking him if “he had faith” during the assault. Furthermore, while Mr. Nevins was being assaulted, Mr. Ajongo told Mr. Bigby that he would stop if Mr. Bigby gave him his dog. Mr. Nevins sustained a few injuries, notably a swollen left eye, several large cuts on his face and he was covered in blood.
When Constable Hope and Constable Dodgeson arrived at the scene, Mr. Ajongo was in the hallway. The officers tried to de-escalate Mr. Ajongo but he was reported to stare “blankly” and ignored the officers. He became confrontational and said, “What? You want some now? Y’all ain’t cops.” He showed them his fists, got into a fighting stance and pressed towards the officers. Mr. Ajongo did not comply with further commands to stop and get down. Mr. Ajongo threw several punches at Constable Hope, missing his head and striking him on the shoulder. Constable Dodgeson attempted to deploy two Conductive Energy Weapon (CEW) cartridges that struck Mr. Ajongo’s loose-fitting clothing and did not change his behaviour.”
Background History
Mr. Ajongo’s personal, legal, and psychiatric history is set out in the hospital report (Exhibit 1). Briefly summarized, Mr. Ajongo is presently 25 years of age. He and his family are Sudanese and witnessed the war that took place in Sudan. He described his parents as being part of the “Liberation Movement” and being targeted by the Sudanese government, who wanted to kill them. In order to flee the war, his parents went to Egypt, where Mr. Ajongo was born. Mr. Ajongo said that his father was working for the United Nations at the time. In 2001, when Mr. Ajongo was one year old, he and his parents received asylum to come to Canada as refugees. Mr. Ajongo is now a Canadian citizen.
Mr. Ajongo and his family lived in Caldwell, Ontario until he was 12 years old. His father worked as a diplomat for the government of South Sudan while his mother stayed at home and raised the children. In 2010, there was a brief period of five months where the family moved to Holland because Mr. Ajongo’s father was working there. When Mr. Ajongo started grade 7, he and his family moved to the United Kingdom because his father was posted there. The family moved back to Ottawa 4 years later when he was in grade 11. Mr. Ajongo stated that his father was typically posted in a particular country for four-year periods.
Mr. Ajongo reported that he had difficulties with reading and writing when he was in elementary school in Ottawa. He reported retaining information much easier when it was presented orally to him but had difficulty integrating the material when it was written. He attended Totteridge Academy in grade 7 when he moved to the United Kingdom with his family.
In the fall of 2018, Mr. Ajongo left Ottawa to study criminology in Halifax. In the spring of 2019, in the second half of the second semester, he started having difficulties. He was no longer going to classes and reported feeling like he “wanted to be alone.” Although he was not going to classes, he was still attending football practice because his teammates “would come to his room and drag him to practice session.” He reported feeling tired from the football practices and had difficulty keeping a schedule. He failed two classes that semester.
In May 2019, Mr. Ajongo came back to Ottawa. He stayed with his mother and tried to work to support his studies. In March 2020, he returned to Halifax with hopes of starting school in the next semester, but he was hospitalized and came back to Ottawa in the spring of 2020 to live with his mother again.
Mr. Ajongo reported having a few jobs to support himself throughout his education. He reported that a football scholarship covered his tuition but not the other related expenses. He worked as a dishwasher at a Baton Rouge restaurant for two years before he started university. When he started college in Halifax, he also started coaching high school kids’ football. When he returned to Ottawa in the summer of 2019, he started working at Puma in the Tanger Outlets. He reported working there from July 2019 to March 2020. He then went back to Halifax but was hospitalized during the month of April 2020 following his first offence. After being discharged from hospital, from August 2020 to March 2021, while he was living with his mother, he started working at Dollarama.
Criminal History
- Mr. Ajongo has no prior criminal record.
Psychiatric History
Mr. Ajongo was admitted to the Queensway Carleton Hospital from June 15 to June 21, 2019. He was brought to hospital by police after he was found running around naked in his backyard. He was diagnosed with a drug-induced psychosis. He was discharged with a recommendation to follow-up with his family physician.
On July 8, 2019, Mr. Ajongo was admitted in psychiatry at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto after he was found wandering naked, identifying himself as a “citizen of Earth”. He refused to identify himself. He was intoxicated. He was discharged on July 10, 2019.
According to documentation from the Ottawa Hospital, Mr. Ajongo was admitted to a hospital in Halifax in April 2020, for 23 days. He had been displaying bizarre behaviour at university and was brought to hospital by the police. He was described as disorganized, paranoid, grandiose, and religiously preoccupied. He was found incapable of treatment decisions, and his mother acted as his substitute decision-maker.
On February 24, 2021, Mr. Ajongo’s mother called the police to express some concern regarding her son’s “mental breakdown” while he was in Halifax the previous year. He had left following an argument. The Mobile Crisis Team (MCT) contacted her, and she reported that her son had been exhibiting paranoid and irrational behaviour during the previous five days. The next day, the Mobile Crisis Team contacted Mr. Ajongo. He indicated that he was unhappy living with his mother, and he was planning to find alternative housing.
Mr. Ajongo’s current diagnoses are:
- Schizophrenia, multiple episodes, in full remission
- Cannabis Use Disorder, moderate
Evidence at the Hearing
The hospital’s evidence was presented through its report as well as through the oral testimony of Dr. Amanjot Sandhu, who took over Mr. Ajongo’s care from Dr. Selaman in the fall of 2024. This evidence is summarized below.
When Dr. Sandhu took over Mr. Ajongo’s care, he was working towards pro-social goals with Ms. Heartly and Mr. Su, his Forensic Case Manager. He was enrolled in an audio engineering program which has since been put on hold. Mr. Ajongo had been working in a restaurant and now doing grocery delivery to supplement his income.
Mr. Ajongo’s mother and sister have decided to move back to South Sudan. This will not impact Mr. Ajongo’s living circumstances, as he has not been residing with them. He lives in a townhouse in Kanata with his two brothers. The treatment team has no concerns about the stability of Mr. Ajongo’s living situation.
At the time of his last ORB hearing, Mr. Ajongo was receiving the long acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic Clopixol at a frequency of once every two weeks. Dr. Sandhu changed his treatment to the LAI Abilify, which he receives every four weeks. Mr. Ajongo has maintained his stability throughout the reporting period.
With respect to cannabis use, though he expresses a desire to decrease his cannabis use, Mr. Ajongo has continued to use cannabis, as confirmed by his positive urine drug screens. Dr. Sandhu advises that recent tests administered in July 2025 show a quantitative reduction of THC concentration.
Mr. Ajongo has expressed a willingness to continue meeting with Dr. Sandhu, even if he is no longer under an ORB disposition.
In response to questions posed to him by counsel for the Attorney General, Mr. Wright, Dr. Sandhu provided the following answers:
a. Mr. Ajongo has previously expressed a wish to move to Toronto, away from his support. Dr. Sandhu acknowledged that Mr. Ajongo also felt that it could be positive for him to get away from negative peer influences. More recently, Mr. Ajongo has expressed an interest in moving to Montreal, in order to pursue his career in the music industry.
b. Dr. Sandhu acknowledged that a career in the music industry might offer less stability, including economic challenges and exposure to drugs. Mr. Ajongo has been quite insightful about his financial challenges and has so for managed to stay away from negative influences.
c. When asked whether Mr. Ajongo has experienced some regression in the past few years, Dr. Sandhu stated that there have in fact been some improvements, namely the addition of the LAI antipsychotic which has addressed the issue of medication non-adherence. Regarding Mr. Ajongo’s cannabis use, it has remained relatively consistent over time.
d. Mr. Ajongo acknowledges that if he was granted an absolute discharge, his life and general functioning would not greatly change. He will continue to take treatment and meet with Dr. Sandhu.
e. Mr. Ajongo is likely to continue using cannabis as he uses it, in part, for creative purposes.
- Further to questions posed to him by counsel for Mr. Ajongo, Ms. McMahon, Dr. Sandhu responded as follows:
a. Mr. Ajongo’s schizophrenia was not treated at the time of the index offences and a diagnosis had not yet been established.
b. There have been no incidents of violence since the index offences and since the remittance of Mr. Ajongo’s psychotic episode in July 2021.
c. Compliance with treatment has kept Mr. Ajongo in remission, and though he is not likely to decompensate if he remains compliant, it is still possible.
d. In the event of an absolute discharge, Mr. Ajongo would continue to receive his Abilify injection every four weeks from the Wellness Clinic of the ROMHC or from his primary physician. Though his access to therapeutic programming would end after 12 months, he could continue to see Dr. Sandhu indefinitely. Mr. Ajongo has expressed a willingness to do so.
e. Dr. Sandhu stated that the correct diagnosis appears to be schizophrenia and that the previous concerns about a mood component to the illness no longer exist.
f. In addition to the members of his forensic treatment team, Mr. Ajongo also sees Tristan, his CMHA worker.
g. Dr. Sandhu believes that it is time to let Mr. Ajongo take more control of his situation and to be more autonomous.
h. Regarding Mr. Ajongo’s use of cannabis before December 2022, his urine drug screens for the period of December 2021 and early 2022 appear to have been negative.
i. Mr. Ajongo is unlikely to become violent unless he has a further decompensation of his illness.
j. Mr. Ajongo was enrolled in an audio engineering program which is currently on hold. Mr. Ajongo made this decision in conjunction with his school advisors. He plans to resume this at some point and generally has pro-social goals.
- Further to questions from the panel members, Dr. Sandhu responded as follows:
a. There is no evidence that cannabis use was somehow connected to Mr. Ajongo’s violent behaviour at the time of the index offences.
b. Dr. Sandhu acknowledged that there is a marked difference between his assessment of Mr. Ajongo and that of his former psychiatrist, Dr. Selaman. Dr. Selaman believed Mr. Ajongo’s insight to be only partial whereas Dr. Sandhu believes it to be good. Dr. Selaman also reported that Mr. Ajongo stated that he felt that he would not decompensate if he stopped taking medications, whereas he has not made statements of this nature to Dr. Sandhu. Dr. Sandhu added that he understood the rapport between Dr. Selaman and Mr. Ajongo to be tenuous. Dr. Selman, herself, stated that Mr. Ajongo might benefit from a new psychiatrist and a new case manager.
c. Mr. Ajongo does continue to evidence issues with poor planning at times, though Dr. Sandhu cannot explain why this is.
d. Dr. Sandhu believes that Mr. Ajongo is intrinsically motivated to take treatment and that he had previously wanted to change his medication because of side-effects, but not because he wished to stop taking it.
e. Dr. Sandhu believes that the Mental Health Act would be sufficient to admit Mr. Ajongo to hospital in the event of decompensation. Moreover, Mr. Ajongo is unlikely to decompensate quickly and changes in his mental status would likely be noticed by his brothers, with whom he is close. The case manager, Mr. Su, has met the brothers is the community.
Evidence of Unguec Ajongo
Mr. Ajongo testified at his hearing stating that he acknowledges that he has schizophrenia. If not properly medicated, he can decompensate, become paranoid and this drives delusions that can lead him to be violent. The last time that this happened was at the time of the index offences. Mr. Ajongo now has techniques to “bring myself down,” which he states that he acquired in the CBT For Psychosis program.
Mr. Ajongo explained that, at the time of the index offences, he was experiencing a very stressful period, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Ajongo has not had to deal with that level of paranoia since then, but he has instances where he experiences anxiety and social anxiety and knows to keep himself in environments that minimize his anxiety.
Since the switch to Abilify, Mr. Ajongo does not feel as lethargic and tired and is no longer experiencing erectile dysfunction. While on Clopixol, there were days where he could not get out of bed. He also had difficulty discussing these issues openly with Dr. Selaman, because she is a woman. He finds it easier to be open with Dr. Sandhu. Additionally, Mr. Ajongo now has a better understanding of the forensic psychiatric system and that he and the hospital treatment team are working together, and not against each other. He feels better motivated now.
Should he be granted an absolute discharge, Mr. Ajongo plans on continuing to see Dr. Sandhu, and his addictions counsellor for as long as she is available to him. He also plans on continuing to see Tristan from CMHA, whom he currently sees weekly.
Mr. Ajongo is seeking an absolute discharge in order to close this chapter of his life, and to feel a sense of accomplishment. He will continue to take his Abilify as he has nothing against it.
Mr. Ajongo expressed feeling embarrassed of his past actions at the time of the index offences. He does not wish to go back there and to relive the stigma associated with what happened.
Mr. Ajongo stated that he has no plans to move from his current residence. He would like to travel internationally but has no immediate plans. He knows that he will need to make plans for his medication when he travels.
Mr. Ajongo is planning to resume the audio-engineering program in Ottawa. The classes are in person.
In response to questions posed to him by counsel for the Attorney General, Mr. Wright, Mr. Ajongo stated that he knows that cannabis is a crutch in his life and that he is having difficulty stopping but is working towards it. He understands that it stands in the way and is restricting him, and he has insight into the potential negatives. Mr. Ajongo stated that he still has an addictive personality, and that prior to cannabis, it was food. He started smoking cannabis at the age of 17 and that it “takes the edge off”.
Mr. Ajongo stated that his family and community do not really understand what happened to him and that he feels like an embarrassment to them. He agreed that he may want to get some assistance with this.
No other evidence was presented.
Submissions of the Parties
The hospital submits that Mr. Ajongo no longer represents a significant threat to the safety of the public and should be granted an absolute discharge. Mr. Ajongo has a renewed sense of optimism and Dr. Sandhu wants to continue working with him.
Counsel for the Attorney General, Mr. Wright, submits that though Mr. Ajongo has done very well in the past year, he still meets the threshold of significant threat to the safety of the public. The index offences were quite serious, and we are not far removed from the period of regression experienced by Mr. Ajongo in 2023. The turnaround that we are now seeking is very recent. Mr. Ajongo continues to use cannabis regularly and it is too early to tell whether he is truly committed to maintaining treatment and psychiatric follow-up.
Counsel for Mr. Ajongo, Ms. McMahon, states that on the basis of the totality of the evidence, Mr. Ajongo no longer meets the threshold of significant threat to the safety of the public. Mr. Ajongo is treated with a long-acting injectable anti-psychotic, and he is unlikely to experience a decompensation as long as he takes it. Mr. Ajongo has not been aggressive or violent since the index offences and has no prior criminal record. He has good insight into his mental illness and the need to continue taking medication to stave off the symptoms. Mr. Ajongo feels embarrassed about what happened and is motivated to never have that happen again, including not wanting to ever feel shunned by his community. He will continue to receive his injection and see Dr. Sandhu and will continue with addictions counselling to work on his cannabis use. In addition, Mr. Ajongo has pro-social goals and the support of his brothers, which whom he lives. The Board is reminded that any doubt about whether the threshold is met must be determined in favour of Mr. Ajongo.
Analysis and Conclusion
Having considered all of the evidence tendered at the hearing, and the submissions of the parties, the Board finds that Mr. Ajongo continues to meet the threshold of significant risk to the safety of the public as set out in s. 672.5401 of the Criminal Code of Canada and as further defined in Winko v. British Columbia (Forensic Psychiatric Institute), 1999 CanLII 694 (SCC), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 625.
According to R. v. Winko, a ‘significant threat to the safety of the public’ means a real risk of physical or psychological harm to members of the public that is serious in the sense of going beyond the merely trivial or annoying. The conduct giving rise to the harm must be criminal in nature. Further, it is noted that evidence to determine whether an individual is a significant threat to the safety of the public can include the past and expected course of the NCR accused’s treatment, if any, the present state of the NCR accused’s medical condition, the NCR accused’s own plans for the future, the support services existing for the NCR accused in the community, as well as other items.
Our finding of ongoing significant threat to the safety of the public is based on the fact that Mr. Ajongo suffers from a major mental illness which drove him to commit serious index offences while not adequately treated. Medication compliance is key to Mr. Ajongo maintaining his stability and avoiding a further decompensation; however, the evidence does not persuade us that Mr. Ajongo has yet reached the point where he has demonstrated that he is ready to assume responsibility for his own wellness.
Though we find that Mr. Ajongo has made gains in the past year, and that he is getting closer to an absolute discharge, he continues to demonstrate a considerable level of disorganization, and he still requires strong oversight and reminders to attend his appointments. We find that he remains highly externally motivated to take treatment, though we note an improvement in his insight in the past year, brought about in part by a change in medication, and he no longer experiences side-effects as he did with his previous medication.
Mr. Ajongo’s ongoing use of marijuana remains concerning though his compliance with treatment is a strong protective factor. He expresses wanting to reduce his cannabis consumption but has made only small steps towards that goal.
In last year’s hospital report, the risk assessment placed Mr. Ajongo at a moderate to high risk of future violence, specifically behaviours that he has exhibited in the past such as physical assaults. The evidence does not really address this and does not establish that there have been any meaningful changes over the course of the past reporting year, other than the fact that Mr. Ajongo appears to have a better therapeutic relationship with his current attending psychiatrist.
Having considered the four factors set out in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code, namely the protection of the public, which is the paramount consideration, the mental condition of the accused, his reintegration into society and his other needs, the Board finds that a conditional discharge, with minimal conditions, including reduced reporting to not less than once every two weeks.
Finally, the panel wishes to note that it could be beneficial for Mr. Ajongo to have cultural support regarding his mental health issues, if this is available. Mr. Ajongo’s statements about how his experience as an NCR accused have led him to feel ostracized by his community struck the members of this panel and lead us to remark that this is an area where Mr. Ajongo could benefit from additional individualized support.
DATED this 2nd day of October 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Ms. M. Labrosse
Legal Member
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Office of the Registrar
Ontario Review Board