Latest news with #Kheyali
Sydney Morning Herald
07-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Finish the job': Gunman shot ‘Afghan Ali' as he lay critically wounded in South Yarra street
A gunman allegedly executed notorious bikie Mohammed Akbar Keshtiar as he lay injured on the ground after a hit team sprayed him with 17 bullets. Keshtiar, known as 'Afghan Ali', died in hospital after being shot several times in a targeted attack while walking along Almeida Crescent, South Yarra, about 11.40pm on August 4, 2023. He was previously linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs, Middle Eastern crime groups and allegations of extortion. The Supreme Court heard on Wednesday that Narre Warren man Adris Kheyali, 23, was accused of opening fire on Keshtiar from the rear window of a car before getting out and shooting Keshtiar again as he lay critically wounded on the ground. A man with Keshtiar ran for safety and was not injured. Kheyali, who is charged with murder and conduct endangering life, applied for bail, offering to be subjected to electronic monitoring, a curfew and have his family offer an $800,000 surety to secure his release. In opposing bail, prosecutor Peter Pickering said Kheyali posed a significant risk of fleeing the country, committing further offending and interfering with witnesses if he was released. He said Kheyali was on remand for 'the most serious [criminal] charge in this state', and the community must be protected. 'This is not just a random shooting. This is not one of a crime of passion. This is a targeted attack, not just a shot, but a number of shots,' Pickering told the court. 'The accusation is that the accused has got out of the car and then fired further shots … to make sure the job was done.'
The Age
07-05-2025
- The Age
‘Finish the job': Gunman shot ‘Afghan Ali' as he lay critically wounded in South Yarra street
A gunman allegedly executed notorious bikie Mohammed Akbar Keshtiar as he lay injured on the ground after a hit team sprayed him with 17 bullets. Keshtiar, known as 'Afghan Ali', died in hospital after being shot several times in a targeted attack while walking along Almeida Crescent, South Yarra, about 11.40pm on August 4, 2023. He was previously linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs, Middle Eastern crime groups and allegations of extortion. The Supreme Court heard on Wednesday that Narre Warren man Adris Kheyali, 23, was accused of opening fire on Keshtiar from the rear window of a car before getting out and shooting Keshtiar again as he lay critically wounded on the ground. A man with Keshtiar ran for safety and was not injured. Kheyali, who is charged with murder and conduct endangering life, applied for bail, offering to be subjected to electronic monitoring, a curfew and have his family offer an $800,000 surety to secure his release. In opposing bail, prosecutor Peter Pickering said Kheyali posed a significant risk of fleeing the country, committing further offending and interfering with witnesses if he was released. He said Kheyali was on remand for 'the most serious [criminal] charge in this state', and the community must be protected. 'This is not just a random shooting. This is not one of a crime of passion. This is a targeted attack, not just a shot, but a number of shots,' Pickering told the court. 'The accusation is that the accused has got out of the car and then fired further shots … to make sure the job was done.'
Perth Now
06-05-2025
- Perth Now
Gangland figure's alleged killer makes bid for freedom
A man accused of murdering an underworld figure has criticised the police case against him as he made a bid for freedom. Adris Kheyali, 23, applied for bail in the Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday after he was charged in April with Mohammed Keshtiar's murder. Mr Keshtiar, who was linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs and Middle Eastern crime groups, was walking with another man in South Yarra in August 2023 when he was shot at from a car. Police allege Kheyali was the gunman who then got out of the vehicle and fired further shots to ensure Mr Keshtiar was dead. Kheyali was first arrested over the killing in September 2024 but was released pending further police inquiries. He was re-arrested and charged with murder on April 4 after a person, known under the pseudonym Witness O, gave a statement to police. Kheyali's barrister Dermot Dann KC told the court his client maintained his innocence and the prosecution case against him "had its problems". Mr Dann pointed to the lack of forensic evidence and incriminating messages on Kheyali's phone, as well as the fact his client had made no admissions and instead denied any involvement. "It certainly can't be said it's a strong case," Mr Dann told the Victorian Supreme Court. Kheyali's mother, grandmother and uncle had put forward a $800,000 surety in support of his bail and the 23-year-old would comply with electronic monitoring if released, Mr Dann said. The barrister also argued Kheyali was not a flight risk, despite being born in Afghanistan and his wife living in the foreign country. Mr Dann noted Kheyali had the rest of his family in Melbourne and he had travelled three times since Mr Keshtiar's death and returned back to Australia without any issues. Kheyali had been prohibited from leaving the country since September after he was bailed on unrelated drug possession and driving offences. But Mr Dann said his client followed those bail conditions even though his wife was in a coma after giving birth to their stillborn child in November. Those factors, alongside potentially lengthy delays in the court proceedings, warranted Kheyali being released into the community on stringent bail conditions, Mr Dann said. But prosecutor Peter Pickering argued there were no conditions that could reduce the risk of Kheyali reoffending, fleeing the country or contacting witnesses. He alleged Kheyali was the one who got out of the car after Mr Keshtiar was initially shot and fired more bullets to ensure he was dead. "This is not a just a random shooting - this is a targeted attack," Mr Pickering told the court. He argued Kheyali would be able to identify Witness O and could potentially interfere with the witness. He conceded the $800,000 surety was a large amount but argued the family's ability to monitor Kheyali and ensure he complied with bail was very limited. Kheyali blew kisses and said "I love you" to family members as he was led out of the courtroom on Tuesday afternoon. He also thanked Justice Rita Incerti, who will hand down her bail decision on Wednesday.
