Celeste Manno’s heartbroken mother has criticized Anthony Albanese and key government figures for not doing enough to tackle violence against women and says she does not want to “listen to their excuses”.
A fed up Aggie Di Mauro did not hold back in a brutal attack on the Prime Minister and other politicians during an emotional appearance on Channel Ten’s The Project on Monday night.
She has spent the last three years fighting for justice and change after her daughter Celeste, 23, was stabbed up to 23 times by a former colleague while she slept at their Melbourne home in November 2020.
Ms Di Mauro accused politicians of failing to act or not having “the guts to do anything”.
“We don’t have the right politicians, simple as that,” he fumed.
‘We have a government in power. Well, I wasted three and a half years of my time with them, so that’s not the government I want to deal with.’
Aggie Di Mauro (pictured) erupted on Monday night’s The Project, saying she had “wasted” years with the current government and that “we don’t have the right politicians” to help stop the murder of women.
Di Mauro’s daughter Celeste Manno, 23 (pictured right), was murdered in her home by a stalker.
‘We all say enough is enough! It is our daughters who kill, not theirs.
‘There are solutions. They don’t want to put an anklet on these beasts.
“If the beast that murdered my daughter had had an ankle bracelet, at least we would have had a chance to run out of that house.”
‘I don’t want to hear your excuses and I don’t want this smokescreen.
“The community doesn’t want them.”
Luay Nader Sako, 39, stabbed Manno, 23, up to 23 times on November 16, 2020, while he slept in his own bed in Mernda, in Melbourne’s northeast, where he thought he was safe.
Sako, who had been harassing Ms Manno, avoided life in prison and was sentenced to 36 years behind bars. He will be eligible for parole in 2054.
Ms Di Mauro believed that the reviews that politicians keep promising to carry out are a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“We had a very good response from the Victorian Law Reform Commission about what happened to Celeste,” he recalled.
‘Quick solution, they came out with 46 recommendations, Victoria buried them.
‘I was present when they were presented, they were presented under approximately 51 other reports.
“They promised me they would be implemented.”
Celeste Manno was stabbed to death by Luay Sako in a violent attack. Her mother, Ms Di Mauro, told The Project that ankle bracelets for men that pose a threat to women are a simple solution that could prevent women from being murdered, but politicians will not implement them.
Ms Di Mauro accused politicians and the Victorian Attorney General of putting off anything and meeting her as promised.
He also implored federal opposition leader Peter Dutton to get involved.
“The (Victorian) opposition leaders, I met with both of them, John Pesutto, Michael O’Brien, they shook hands on the way out, they wanted me to absolutely believe that this is what they are here to do, hold our government accountable.” . she said.
‘They have asked a question about the recommendations, and that was last October.
‘That’s not holding people responsible. So maybe, I don’t know, who do we call? Mr Dutton, can you step in and do something here? ‘
He stated that he has gone through various levels of government countless times in the last three and a half years.
‘From the beginning, I came across all kinds of my deepest condolences and that next time they will do better,” said Ms. Di Mauro.
Next time I won’t have Celeste!
Aggie’s daughter, Celeste Manno, was stabbed to death in her own home three and a half years ago.
Mrs Di Mauro is convinced that an ankle bracelet, which legal experts oppose, would have saved her daughter’s life if Sako had been ordered to wear it.
“Failure to comply with an intervention order does not mean that person is a criminal at that time, as it would encroach on their civil liberties and freedom of movement,” Ms Di Mauro said.
‘What I’m saying is that I couldn’t care less about his freedom. Her (Sako’s) freedom of movement put Celeste six feet under.
He has not given up the fight for justice and plans to appeal Sako’s sentence.
“I will not stop because not only do we lose our daughters, but we also have to prepare for more injustices,” he said.
At Sako’s sentencing in February, Di Mauro screamed in rage outside the court as he tore up a speech he had prepared to read if the judge had gotten the desired result.
‘We were forced to trust the system we lost faith in three years ago. “She failed Celeste then and she failed him again now,” she said.
“Today’s result shows how flawed the judicial system is.”
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Celeste Manno’s murderer, Luay Sako (pictured), will be eligible for parole after 30 years
