Moment alleged Ibrahim hit botched

A man accused of a botched hit on John Ibrahim has been refused bail.
A man accused of a botched hit on John Ibrahim has been refused bail.

New footage has emerged of an alleged failed attempted hit on Sydney night-life figure John Ibrahim as one of his alleged would-be assassins makes a desperate bid for release.

Siaosi Maeakafa Tupoulah, 24, appeared before Sydney’s Supreme Court on Tuesday in a bid for release on bail as he faces multiple charges over the alleged failed hit.

Police allege Mr Tupoulahi aimed a Glock pistol at a woman driving her young child on July 25, having mistaken her black Range Rover SUV as belonging to Mr Ibrahim.

Driver and co-accused Youssef Zrayka, who failed in a bail bid last week, is alleged to have sped off before a brief pursuit which ended after the pair got stuck in traffic.

Both men were subsequently charged with conspiring to murder Mr Ibrahim, as well as firearm offences after police allegedly found the Glock and a revolver in the car.

Footage released by the court on Tuesday showed the moment police allege Mr Tupoulah stepped out from the car before briefly pointing the pistol at the woman driver.

ROYAL RANDWICK
John Ibrahim was allegedly the target of a botched hit in Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / Christian Gilles

The hatchback can be seen in the footage ahead of the black Range Rover, the second the pair allegedly tried to stop, before abruptly stopping the car at an intersection.

The incident, lasting just seconds, ends with a figure police allege is Mr Tupoulah returning to the car which speeds off forward, while the Range Rover turns to the left.

In a second video, police conduct a search of the alleged getaway car in which they find and disarm the Glock pistol which contains three rounds and another chambered.

Officers are also seen removing a second pistol, a high-calibre revolver, with five of six available rounds, with two jerry cans allegedly containing accelerant seen in the car.

In applying for release, Mr Tupoulah’s lawyer, Ben Barrack, argued he stood to spend two years in custody awaiting trial after indicating he intended to fight the charges.

New footage of an alleged failed botched assassination on John Ibrahim has been revealed. Picture: NSW Police
New footage of an alleged failed botched assassination on John Ibrahim has been revealed. Picture: NSW Police
Police allege Tupoulah is seen pointing the Glock at the woman driver. Picture: NSW Police
Police allege Tupoulah is seen pointing the Glock at the woman driver. Picture: NSW Police

He described the carpenter as being “entirely expendable” and if released would be of no use to whomever planned the alleged hit – with the planning “not attributable” to him.

Critically, Mr Barrack said the Crown would have to prove Mr Tupoulah had been on the busy Dover Heights street to kill Mr Ibrahim, and not to extort or rob him.

Justice Desmond Fagan said it would be open to the jury to make that decision, and in refusing Mr Tupoulah’s release described him as “a man who is extremely dangerous”.

“If he was there to shoot someone then as has been in the past, he could have shot the wrong person – or he could have shot the person he was trying to shoot,” he said.

Told no bullets were alleged to have been fired, he added: “(That is) very fortunate for people unwise enough to drive a motor vehicle in similar appearance to Mr Ibrahim’s”.

Justice Fagan pushed back against Mr Barrack who said the alleged incident was “amateur hour” and that Mr Tupoulah, in custody for the first time, was not a risk.

A Glock pistol retrieved from the alleged getaway car. Picture: NSW Police
A Glock pistol retrieved from the alleged getaway car. Picture: NSW Police
A revolver and two jerry cans were also located. Picture: NSW Police
A revolver and two jerry cans were also located. Picture: NSW Police

“He could be a pillar of the church. He could be a saint in every respect, but if he’s caught on a residential street with two lethal weapons, apparently positioning himself to kill somebody, that just suddenly goes out the window,” Judge Fagan said, adding that the pair being allegedly stopped in traffic was “a trap for young players” in crime.

Justice Fagan ultimately rejected the bail application despite a proposed house arrest, citing risk to the community and that the “Crown case was of very significant force”.

Police allege co-accused, Youssef Zrayka, drove past Mr Ibrahim’s Dover Heights home before parking down the street shortly after 7am and laying in wait with his co-accused.

While watching the home, police allege the pair spotted a Range Rover matching the description of Mr Ibrahim’s, with Mr Zrayka pulling the car into the middle of the street. Mr Tupoulahi allegedly swung open the back door before realising the vehicle did not belong to their alleged target. A few minutes later, the pair again spotted a Range Rover.

Mr Zrayka pulled out into the road to block the black-coloured SUV, but again the pair targeted the wrong vehicle, police allege, and the driver contacted police minutes later.

The two men were allegedly dressed in balaclavas and gloves. Picture: Channel 7
The two men were allegedly dressed in balaclavas and gloves. Picture: Channel 7
Mr Tupoulahi was arrested after allegedly resisting arrest. Picture: Channel 7
Mr Tupoulahi was arrested after allegedly resisting arrest. Picture: Channel 7

The 21-year-old last week made his own bid for release, with his lawyer Ertunc Ozen SC stating police would have to prove his client had only planned to kill Mr Ibrahim.

“The facts show these two were not in the area for innocent purposes … but the body of evidence establishes no more than an offence, which could be one of many,” he said.

“The Crown will have to establish these two people were part of an established plan to commit a murder of Mr Ibrahim, not a carjacking or extortion, … or issuing a threat”.

Justice Mark Ierace dismissed the bail bid citing unacceptable risks, including that Mr Zrayka could endanger the community given his allegedly having a weapon in public.
Mr Zrayka and Mr Tuploulah were both charged with conspiracy to commit murder, as well as possession of a loaded firearm in public, and taking a car without consent.

The pair will be back in court next month when the brief of evidence is expected to be served.