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‘Horror story’: Sydney tow truck driver faces life in Fijian jail, claims innocence

In a case with eerie similarities to Schapelle Corby's, a Sydney tow truck driver is facing life imprisonment in Fiji after spending the past nine months in a Fijian jail following accusations of cocaine possession.

Joseph Abourizk claims he was on a ‘dream holiday’ when things went ‘terribly wrong’ according to Fairfax Media reports.

The tow truck driver claims he is innocent of drug smuggling charges which could see him serve life behind bars.

The lawyers for Abourizk say his decision to take a charter boat cruise off the west coast of Fiji has resulted in the unimaginable.

The 30-year-old father was allegedly caught with $15 million dollars of cocaine at Vuda Marina, Fairfax Media said.

‘Horror story’: Sydney tow truck driver faces life in Fijian jail, claims innocence. Source: Getty Images.
‘Horror story’: Sydney tow truck driver faces life in Fijian jail, claims innocence. Source: Getty Images.

However, he has hit back claiming he had absolutely no idea that the suitcases he was found with contained drugs.

Abourizk's Australian solicitor, Warwick Korn, argued during a recent trial that his client was exploited by the captain of a charter boat.

The father reportedly missed the birth of his first child, a baby girl called Penelope.

It’s claimed that before boarding the boat the captain asked Mr Abourizk to collect some 'equipment'.

Abourizk maintains that he then travelled to a nearby town with the captain and another man, Josese Muriwaqa, where the trio then loaded the two suitcases into the back of a car.

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The men were driving back to Vuda with the suitcases when the captain got out of the car shortly before Mr Abourizk and Mr Muriwaqa were arrested by Fijian authorities.

The pair were each charged with one count of unlawful possession of illicit drugs.

"His position is very simple – he had no idea what was in the captain's bags," Mr Korn said.

"This has been a horror story for Joseph, the true depths of which I cannot comment on at present. For now we are focused on his acquittal and bringing him home," he said.

"This is a man that's never been charged with a criminal offence before."

It’s understood the Abourizk and his wife Karla had been holidaying in Fiji before his arrest.

Karla went home early because of work commitments, a day before her husband was arrested.

According to the prosecution, the Australian was paid money by the captain to move the drugs.

The trial began in the High Court in Lautoka on March 29 before Justice Thushara Rajasinghe.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was providing assistance to the accused.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance in accordance with the Consular Services Charter to an Australian man who was arrested in Fiji.

"For privacy reasons we are unable to provide any further information on this matter.”

It is expected a verdict will be handed down later this week.

News break – April 19