Man found not guilty of 2nd-degree murder after cologne spray incident on TTC bus

Tefai Opoku-Boadu walked out of Toronto’s Superior Court of Justice Wednesday morning telling Global News he was “feeling good.”

Just minutes earlier, the 24-year-old Kitchener man was found not guilty of second-degree murder.

“I got acquitted. It’s been a long journey. You know I’m free now,” Opoku-Boadu said as he strode down Armoury Street, away from the courthouse.

Just over two years ago, Opoku-Boadu was arrested and charged with murdering 39-year-old Matthew Rumble, a father of seven children, after an altercation on a TTC bus that started after Opoku-Boadu sprayed cologne.

Justice Jennifer K. Penman found the Crown had not established beyond a reasonable doubt that Opoku-Boadu was not acting in self-defence. Penman summarized the evidence heard during the seven-day judge-alone trial in July in her reasons for judgement.

On June 25, 2024, Rumble and Opoku-Boadu crossed paths on a TTC bus making its way to Jane Street subway station.

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Video surveillance shown at the trial from onboard the bus appeared to capture Opoku-Boadu spraying himself with perfume or cologne and then into the air around him, including in the direction of Rumble.

Rumble appeared to say something to Opoku-Boadu before Opoku-Boadu responded at Rumble, who stared straight ahead seemingly ignoring Opoku-Boadu. Opoku-Boadu then sprayed himself again.

At 5:50 p.m., as the bus pulled into Jane Station, Rumble exited the bus and appeared to say something to Opoku-Boado.

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Rumble waited out on the platform outside the rear doors of the bus and when Opoku-Boadu got off, Rumble circled Opoku-Boadu, swung at him, and there was a fight.

Less than a minute later, Rumble collapsed to the ground, having been stabbed in the chest by Opoku-Boadu.

Opoku-Boadu ran from the scene, discarded the knife in a nearby parking lot and changed his clothing.

Crown prosecutors Levi Karademir and Theo Sarantis argued that Opoku-Boadu caused Rumble’s death, that he did so unlawfully and that he had the state of mind required for murder.

Opoku-Boadu did not testify. However, he did not deny that he caused Rumble’s death, but said that he did so in self-defence.

Opoku-Boadu’s lawyers, Karen Symes and Bianca Benincasa, argued it was Rumble who brought the knife and that during the fight, he managed to get hold of the knife and used it to defend himself from Rumble.

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The defence relied on video footage, which they argued showed that Opoku-Boadu was not in possession of any weapon leading up to the fight and it was Rumble who was the aggressor.

The Crown argued Opoku-Boadu initiated the hostilities between the two men on the bus, and that it was Opoku-Boadu’s knife that was used to stab Rumble. The Crown also argued Opoku-Boadu intended to kill Rumble because he was angry at what had occurred on the bus.

The Crown pointed out that Opoku-Boadu’s intent to kill Rumble could be inferred from the multiple stab wounds, including the fatal wound to Rumble’s chest and the two other wounds to Rumble’s head and chin area. The Crown said these wounds suggested that Opoku-Boadu was in dominant control of the knife during the altercation.

“I have found that it is more likely than not that Mr. Rumble was the one who brought and introduced the knife into the altercation. If I am incorrect in this finding, given Mr. Rumble’s disproportionate, violent reaction to Mr. Opoku-Boadu’s minor conduct, if Mr. Opoku-Boadu did introduce the knife, I am satisfied that he reasonably believed that if Mr. Rumble gained control of the knife, he would use it against him,” Penman told court.

Penman also acknowledged Rumble’s family who sat in the courtroom.

“I wish to make very clear that this verdict is not intended and should not be understood as condoning or excusing the conduct of Mr. Opoku-Boadu. This case involves a senseless loss of life and is a tragedy. Nothing about today’s decision diminishes the seriousness of that loss,” Penman said.

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“The truth came to light. It is what it is, you know. God is good,” Opoku-Boadu said after court, adding he now plans to move on with his life.

Symes, one of Opoku-Boadu’s lawyers, said after the verdict that she is relieved and grateful for the decision but not surprised.

“Given the evidence in this case, it was quite clear that my client was not the aggressor. He acted inconsiderately on the bus but as far as physical aggression, he did not seek it out or start it. He was attacked and in the course of that attack, a knife was pulled on him. One split second decision, he could have very well been the person who was dead,” Symes said.