Prosecutors have argued that if former nightclub owner John Ibrahim had been in a car mistakenly attacked by two suspected gunmen, one of them would have “shot”.
Yousif Zrayka, 21, and Siaosi Maeakafa Tupoulahi, 24, are accused of conspiring to shoot Ibrahim in a murder plot gone wrong on July 25, near his home in Sydney’s Dover Heights.
Zrayka was refused bail following a Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday, after the court heard he was allegedly still wearing a balaclava and gloves when he was detained.
The men allegedly staked out Ibrahim’s street and pointed their gun at two vehicles they mistakenly believed were his, and Tupoulahi was accused of going so far as to point his gun at the driver of the second car.
“If the victim had been in the (vehicle) there is no doubt that (Tupoulahi) would have fired,” prosecutors said in a written submission to the court.
In recommending bail be refused, prosecutors said Zrayka faced an “overwhelming” case against him, with much of the incident captured on CCTV.
“The police confiscated phones and discovered the background of the conspiracy to commit the crime of murder,” the prosecution said.
“There was a significant level of planning involved.”
The two men allegedly staked out the street where John Ibrahim (pictured right) lives and targeted two vehicles they mistakenly believed belonged to the former nightclub owner.
The men allegedly fled the scene near Ibrahim’s home after police were called, leading to a brief chase.
When the men were forced to stop due to heavy traffic, Zrayka surrendered, while Tupoulahi was able to resist attempts to arrest him and flee to nearby properties, a document of alleged facts states.
“During this time, Tupoulahi used his balaclava to cause fear to residents inside their homes,” the document states.
It says Tupoulahi was Tasered and arrested after being harassed by a resident who found him hiding in the side of his home.
“The prosecution maintains that the actions of Tupoulahi and Zrayka have all the characteristics of a murder for hire of organized crime,” the document states.
He labels Ibrahim as a high-profile member of the community who has family members with ties to organized crime.
At the time of the alleged crime, Zrayka was on a parole order after being found returning on a flight from Tasmania with $45,000 in cash strapped to his body, prosecutors submitted.
Prosecutors said in a written filing that if Ibrahim (pictured right) had been in the vehicle, one of the alleged gunmen would have fired.
The men allegedly fled the scene near Ibrahim’s home after police were called, leading to a brief chase before police caught them (pictured, one of the alleged gunmen arrested by police).
They said that based on this, along with the alleged murder plot, the court would determine that he must have criminal associations.
The parties agreed that if the matter was to go to trial, it would not be until late 2025 at the earliest.