Drive-by shooting part of gang feud, murder trial told
Samuel John Rokomaqisa, 35, is on trial in the NSW Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to murder, conspiring to murder, and aggravated assault while stealing a getaway car.
The 35-year-old is linked to Sydney's Alameddine crime network, which has been feuding with rival Hamze crime syndicate for years, crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe said on Monday.
The history of hostility between the criminal groups has led to several public place shootings, the prosecutor said, including the retaliatory shooting of an Alameddine associate in early June 2021.
Days later, Bilal Hamze was gunned down outside Kid Kyoto restaurant in what Ms Ratcliffe claimed was "an act in furtherance of the feud" between the two criminal gangs.
Rokomaqisa was allegedly inside a black Audi with cloned registration plates, which witnesses are expected to say they saw circling the area before ten shots were fired at Bilal Hamze.
Dashcam footage from a nearby taxi shows a pistol extending from the passenger side of the Audi, Ms Ratcliffe told the jury.
Bilal Hamze sustained gunshot wounds to his abdomen, hip and elbow and later died in hospital.
Witnesses are expected to testify that Rokomaqisa later boasted about his involvement in the shooting, including that he was owed $200,000 for "the thing".
"Bro, didn't I prove something to everyone with that job in the city," he was heard saying during a lawfully tapped call cited by Ms Ratcliffe.
Rokomaqisa is alleged to have then set his sights on Bilal's brother Ibrahem Hamze, surveilling his North Sydney apartment for weeks as part of a conspiracy to murder him.
However, the court was told the plan was thwarted when a police officer noticed the car was trying to park in a no-stopping zone and gave chase.
The stolen car sustained a flat tyre during the police pursuit so Rokomaqisa forced an elderly man to relinquish his car at gunpoint, Ms Ratcliffe said.
She claimed the 35-year-old committed the crimes to demonstrate his loyalty to the Alameddine crime network and to gain their trust.
In return, he allegedly received funds which cannot be explained by lawful employment.
Rokomaqisa has denied the allegations and his lawyers are expected to address the jury at a later stage.
The case against him will feature CCTV footage, lawfully intercepted phone calls, and information obtained from surveillance devices.
The trial, which is expected to run for eight weeks, continues before Acting Justice Robert Allan Hulme on Tuesday.
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News.com.au
32 minutes ago
- News.com.au
New details in alleged gangland murder of Bilal Hamze and how the plot to kill his brother Ibrahem unfolded
A person of interest in the murder of Bilal Hamze was acting 'frantic' and making calls around the time of the underworld figure's death, a court has been told. Bilal Hamze was shot dead as he left a Sydney CBD restaurant with a sex worker in June 2021. Samuel Rokomaqisa is standing trial at the NSW Supreme Court over the murder of Bilal Hamze and conspiring to murder Bilal's younger brother, Ibrahem, both of whom are cousins of Brothers 4 Life gang founder Bassam Hamze. But Mr Rokomaqisa's defence lawyer George Thomas on Tuesday claimed the sex worker who had been dining with Bilal was in contact with someone identified by police as a person of interest, who was also in the area at the time of Bilal's murder. 'You will hear evidence about (the sex worker) in communication with someone else who was in the near vicinity at the time of these events, someone who on the police assessment was a person of interest,' the lawyer said. 'They described his behaviour as frantic, sending messages, making phone calls around the time of the killing.' Mr Rokomaqisa, 35, is also accused of aggravated assault, and is alleged to have links to the Alameddine family and their organised crime network, which have long been rivals of the Hamze's. He has pleaded not guilty to all three charges and denied any involvement with the Alameddine family and the alleged crimes. Prosecutors allege Mr Rokomaqisa was in a stolen car from which 10 shots were fired at Bilal on June 17, 2021, after he left the Kid Kyoto restaurant. Bilal died in hospital, and the stolen car was later found burned out in Northwood. It was also alleged Mr Rokomaqisa was involved in a plot to kill Bilal's brother, Ibrahem, the following month, including by surveilling his unit. Mr Thomas said there could have been 'two conspiracies' to murder Bilal's brother Ibrahem, citing a June 8 phone call in which the words 'Ibby's gotta go' were allegedly heard. He said there was no indication his client was involved in this call, and that it fell outside the time frame of the conspiracy to kill Ibrahem anyway. This could suggest 'two conspiracies on foot, simultaneously, to kill the same fella', he told the court. Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Paul Marie, who was called to the scene following Bilal's murder, was called in as the first witness in the trial on Tuesday morning. Mr Marie told the court Bilal had moved from his Auburn family home before his death as there were a 'number of threats on his life'. He said there was a clear conflict between the Hamze and Alameddine families as at June 2021, with Ibrahem also later moving from the Auburn home. Alleged crim's 'bragging' and 'unexplained wealth' Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe on Monday said Mr Rokomaqisa allegedly 'bragged' to a trial witness of how well he'd driven the getaway car after Bilal's murder, and that he was allegedly heard saying he was linked 'to the shooting and s**t' following a news segment played while he was in prison. A little over a month after Bilal's killing, Mr Rokomaqisa was allegedly involved in an enterprise to murder Bilal's brother, Ibrahem, 'as an act of retaliation' by the Alameddine's crime network. This included the surveilling of Ibrahem's unit over a three-week period in July and August 2021, which came to a head on August 14 when a cop noticed a car trying to park in a no stopping zone across from the unit. A police chase ensued but was abandoned when it became 'too dangerous'. Mr Rokomisqa is accused of then using a gun to threaten an elderly man into giving he and another his car after they got a flat tire during the chase. Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe on Monday said Mr Rokomisqa allegedly told his ex-partner he'd been waiting for 'just some c*** to come out' when asked why he 'kept disappearing' around August 2021, which she argued was a reference to the alleged surveilling of Ibrahem's unit with the intent to kill him. Mr Rokomisqa also allegedly told his ex he was owed some $270,000 for the alleged murder and conspiracy to murder. The trial continues.
The Australian
13 hours ago
- The Australian
Man accused of murdering underworld figure Bilal Hamze allegedly owed $270k for alleged killing
A man accused of killing an underworld figure and conspiring to murder his brother was allegedly owed more than $200,000 for the jobs and 'bragged' about how well he'd driven a stolen getaway car away from the murder scene, a court has heard. Samuel Rokomaqisa, 35, is standing trial accused of the alleged murder of Bilal Hamze and conspiring to murder Bilal's brother, Ibrahem. He's also accused of the aggravated assault of an elderly man. The prosecution delivered their opening submissions on Monday afternoon, where Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe alleged Mr Rokomaqisa was involved in an enterprise with others to murder Ibrahem Hamze 'as an act of retaliation' by the Alameddine family — an organised criminal network — over a three-week period between July and August in 2021. He was also allegedly in the car in which 10 shots were fired at Bilal Hamze in June 2021. The court was told how Bilal had been dining at the Kid Kyoto restaurant in the heart of Sydney's CBD with a sex worker on the evening of June 17, 2021. A black Audi with imitation plates was spotted circling the area, with Bilal and the sex worker passing by the car after they left the restaurant. A total of 10 shots were fired at Bilal after the pair walked behind the car, with CCTV to show he and the sex worker 'running for their lives', Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe told the court. Dashcam footage from a taxi, shown to the court, appeared to capture a pistol hanging out the front passenger side of the Audi as the events unfolded. '(The sex worker) screamed for help, she called an ambulance … but she soon hung up, being too distressed to talk,' Ms Ratcliffe told the court. Bilal later died in hospital, while the stolen car was found burned out in Northwood. Mr Rokomisqa has entered not guilty pleas to all charges and has denied any involvement in the crimes and to having any links with the Alameddine family. 'That was me, that is what we do': Alleged crim's bragging Mr Rokomaqisa allegedly showed a man, who can only be known as Witness A, news footage of Bilal's murder in the aftermath. 'Witness A will tell you … that when (Mr Rokomaqisa) showed him this news footage … he said to Witness A 'That was me, that is what we do with the cars',' Ms Ratcliffe said. 'Witness A, I anticipate, will also tell you that the accused … because of what he had done for the Alameddine family, he was accepted by them.' Ms Ratcliffe argued the words 'that was me' related to Mr Rokomisqa's alleged involvement in Bilal's murder, while the reference to cars related to the use of cars in criminal offences including murder. The court was told the stolen car was allegedly apart of a criminal scheme across Sydney to affix cars with imitation plates, move the vehicles around between garages, and burn them out when they're done using them. Mr Rokomisqa had also allegedly played a news clip about Bilal's murder to another witness, telling him he was the driver. 'Witness C recalled the accused bragged about being a good driver and how he got away,' Ms Ratcliffe said. ' … The accused said to him he was on a payroll and was paid to be the driver of hits.' Mr Rokomisqa was allegedly heard saying he was linked to 'the shooting and s**t' after a TV segment about the news in prison, and that he was in there together with 'all the Alameddine boys', Ms Ratcliffe told the court. '(I'm) f**king set here lad, they full transferred all the boys…all the Alameddine boys, we're all here together,' Mr Rokomisqa allegedly said while in prison. He also allegedly said he was 'the king now' while in jail, and that he'd been asked whether he was the one 'who knocked Bilal Hamze'. 'Unexplained wealth' Mr Rokomisqa's 'unexplained wealth' is also set to be probed during the trial, with bank records to show unexplained transactions over the relevant period. 'The accused was not earning money through legitimate avenues, and any unexplained wealth was (related to) his involvement in criminal activities on behalf of the Alameddine organised crime network,' Ms Ratcliffe told the court. He had allegedly told his former partner he was owed some $270,000 for the alleged crimes. 'The accused sent her a message (in September) … saying I'm owed $70,000 from just four weeks back, plus another $200,000 for the other thing,' Ms Ratcliffe said. Ms Ratcliffe submitted the 'thing' referred to Bilal Hamze's murder, while the $70,000 was to do with acts relating to the conspiracy to murder his brother Ibrahem. The following day, Mr Rokomisqa was allegedly heard saying 'Bro didn't I prove something to everyone with that job in the city?', which the Crown argued was in reference to Bilal's murder. He had also allegedly told Witness B he was waiting for 'just some c*** to come out' when she asked why he 'kept disappearing' around August 2021. 'The Crown case is that this was a reference to the surveillance of Ibrahem Hamze's unit block, and them waiting in the various cars during their surveillance for Ibrahem Hamze to come out so they could complete the agreement to kill him,' Ms Ratcliffe told the court. Finally, Mr Rokomisqa is accused of using a gun to threaten an elderly man into giving he and another his car after they got a flat tire during a police chase on August 14, 2021. He had allegedly been surveilling Ibrahem Hamze's home before a police chase was launched, later telling his former partner he 'had copped a chase and that they had to dump a car that they had stolen from an old person'. Clareese is a Court Reporter at NewsWire. She previously covered breaking news for the outlet after completing the 2023 NewsCorp cadet program, where she worked at The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, the National News Network and NewsWire. NewsWire NSW Police are reviewing footage of an officer allegedly pushing a woman to the ground during a dramatic arrest after a car was damaged outside a school. NewsWire Flights have been delayed as thousands of passengers were forced to be rescreened for security from Brisbane Airport following a technical fault.
Perth Now
18 hours ago
- Perth Now
Huge payday for Sydney ‘murder': court
A man accused of killing an underworld figure and conspiring to murder his brother was allegedly owed more than $200,000 for the jobs and 'bragged' about how well he'd driven a stolen getaway car away from the murder scene, a court has heard. Samuel Rokomaqisa, 35, is standing trial accused of the alleged murder of Bilal Hamze and conspiring to murder Bilal's brother, Ibrahem. He's also accused of the aggravated assault of an elderly man. The prosecution delivered their opening submissions on Monday afternoon, where Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe alleged Mr Rokomaqisa was involved in an enterprise with others to murder Ibrahem Hamze 'as an act of retaliation' by the Alameddine family — an organised criminal network — over a three-week period between July and August in 2021. He was also allegedly in the car in which 10 shots were fired at Bilal Hamze in June 2021. Bilal Hamze was killed in June, 2021. Supplied. Credit: News Corp Australia The court was told how Bilal had been dining at the Kid Kyoto restaurant in the heart of Sydney's CBD with a sex worker on the evening of June 17, 2021. A black Audi with imitation plates was spotted circling the area, with Bilal and the sex worker passing by the car after they left the restaurant. A total of 10 shots were fired at Bilal after the pair walked behind the car, with CCTV to show he and the sex worker 'running for their lives', Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe told the footage from a taxi, shown to the court, appeared to capture a pistol hanging out the front passenger side of the Audi as the events unfolded. '(The sex worker) screamed for help, she called an ambulance … but she soon hung up, being too distressed to talk,' Ms Ratcliffe told the court. Bilal later died in hospital, and the stolen car was later found burned out in Northwood. Mr Rokomisqa has entered not guilty pleas to all charges and has denied any involvement in the crimes and to having any links with the Alameddine family. 'That was me, that is what we do': Alleged crim's bragging Mr Rokomaqisa allegedly showed a man, who can only be known as Witness A, news footage of Bilal's murder in the aftermath. 'Witness A will tell you … that when (Mr Rokomaqisa) showed him this news footage … he said to Witness A 'That was me, that is what we do with the cars',' Ms Ratcliffe said. 'Witness A, I anticipate, will also tell you that the accused … because of what he had done for the Alameddine family, he was accepted by them.' Ms Ratcliffe argued the words 'that was me' related to Mr Rokomisqa's alleged involvement in Bilal's murder, while the reference to cars related to the use of cars in criminal offences including murder. Bilal Hamze had been dining with a sex worker before he was killed. Supplied. Credit: News Limited The court was told the stolen car was allegedly apart of a criminal scheme across Sydney to affix cars with imitation plates, move the vehicles around between garages, and burn them out when they're done using them. Mr Rokomisqa had also allegedly played a news clip about Bilal's murder to another witness, telling him he was the driver. 'Witness C recalled the accused bragged about being a good driver and how he got away,' Ms Ratcliffe said. ' … The accused said to him he was on a payroll and was paid to be the driver of hits.' Mr Rokomisqa was allegedly heard saying he was linked to 'the shooting and shit' after a TV segment about the news in prison, and that he was in there together with 'all the Alameddine boys', Ms Ratcliffe told the court. '(I'm) f**king set here lad, they full transferred all the boys…all the Alameddine boys, we're all here together,' Mr Rokomisqa allegedly said while in prison. He also allegedly said he was 'the king now' while in jail, and that he'd been asked whether he was the one 'who knocked Bilal Hamze'. 'Unexplained wealth' Mr Rokomisqa's 'unexplained wealth' is also set to be probed during the trial, with bank records to show unexplained transactions over the relevant period. 'The accused was not earning money through legitimate avenues, and any unexplained wealth was (related to) his involvement in criminal activities on behalf of the Alameddine organised crime network,' Ms Ratcliffe told the court. Samuel Rokomaqisa was charged with murder, conspiring to murder, and aggravated assault. 7News Credit: Supplied He had allegedly told his former partner he was owed some $270,000 for the alleged crimes. 'The accused sent her a message (in September) … saying I'm owed $70,000 from just four weeks back, plus another $200,000 for the other thing,' Ms Ratcliffe said. Ms Ratcliffe submitted the 'thing' referred to Bilal Hamze's murder, while the $70,000 was to do with acts relating to the conspiracy to murder his brother Ibrahem. The following day, Mr Rokomisqa was allegedly heard saying 'Bro didn't I prove something to everyone with that job in the city?', which the Crown argued was in reference to Bilal's murder. He had also allegedly told Witness B he was waiting for 'just some c*** to come out' when she asked why he 'kept disappearing' around August 2021. 'The Crown case is that this was a reference to the surveillance of Ibrahem Hamze's unit block, and them waiting in the various cars during their surveillance for Ibrahem Hamze to come out so they could complete the agreement to kill him,' Ms Ratcliffe told the court. Finally, Mr Rokomisqa is accused of using a gun to threaten an elderly man into giving he and another his car after they got a flat tire during a police chase on August 14, 2021. He had allegedly been surveilling Ibrahem Hamze's home before a police chase was launched, later telling his former partner he 'had copped a chase and that they had to dump a car that they had stolen from an old person'.
