A former immigration detainee allegedly threatened a police officer with a knife just days after being accused of violating the conditions of his visa.
Sundan-born Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad, 45, has been charged and released on bail four times for violating his visa conditions since his release in November.
He was among 153 asylum seekers who were released from an immigration detention center following the High Court’s NZYQ decision.
Elawad was recently released on bail in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday and had appeared in the same court just five days earlier on April 29.
A former immigration detainee has been charged and released on bail four times after he allegedly failed to comply with the conditions of his visa (pictured, Villawood Immigration Detention Center)
The series of cases has sparked widespread controversy with growing calls for Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to resign (pictured First Minister Anthony Albanese).
The 45-year-old man appeared in court after being charged with breaching curfew and surveillance regulations between April 20 and 29. The Australian reports.
On April 21, Elawad was arrested and charged with allegedly resisting and assaulting an officer, shoplifting and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Officers threatened Elawad with a Taser during the fight at a pub in Footscray, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne.
“The charges relate to an incident at a grocery store on Albert Street in Footscray, where the man allegedly stole food and was reported to be carrying a knife at around 9am,” a police spokeswoman said.
‘Members (of police) tracked the man to a nearby pub on Nicholson Street, where he allegedly threatened officers with the knife.
“They produced a Taser and issued a warning, resulting in the peaceful arrest of the man with no harm to the public inside the hotel or (police) members.”
He appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court and was granted bail the same day, despite protests from Commonwealth prosecutors.
Just three days earlier, Elawad was released on bail on April 18 after he was charged with “failing to live at a listed place of residence and allowing his monitoring device to deflate.”
He was first arrested just weeks after being released from an immigration detention center.
Another released detainee, Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, is one of three people charged in the alleged brutal attack on Ninette Simmons, 73 (pictured).
Recently released immigration detainee Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan (above) accused of beating an elderly woman in her own home.
Elawad violated the conditions of his visa when he allegedly stole the luggage of a sleeping traveler at Melbourne airport.
He should mention hearings for his state and federal charges on May 22.
It comes just days after it was reported that another former immigration detainee allegedly failed to comply with the conditions of his visa.
The 31-year-old man, born in Afghanistan, was arrested by Australian Federal Police in Brisbane on Tuesday.
He allegedly breached the conditions of his Commonwealth visa twice in April by failing to comply with mandatory curfews.
He has been charged with two counts of failing to comply with curfew conditions and faces a maximum of five years behind bars and a $93,900 fine.
The series of cases has sparked widespread controversy and calls are growing for Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to resign.
Another released detainee, Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, is one of three people charged in the alleged brutal attack on 73-year-old Ninette Simmons.
Police in Western Australia say three people attacked Simmons and her husband Philip, 76, claiming her hands were tied behind her back while they stole $200,000 worth of jewellery.
Prosecutors told the hearing that Doukoshkan, who came to Australia from Kuwait, was “likely to reoffend” and had compliance issues, but the board ruled he should not have to wear the bracelet.
Mr Doukoshkan was one of 154 men released from an immigration detention center in November after the High Court ruled that indefinite detention was unlawful.