Afghani community supports family of murder victim Ibrahim Hotak
The Afghani community throughout the state are rallying behind a popular Adelaide father allegedly murdered by his close friend during an Outback road trip.
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The Afghani community throughout the state are rallying behind a popular Adelaide father allegedly murdered by his close friend during an Outback road trip.
An online fundraiser has been launched after Ibrahim Hotak’s death this week on South Australia’s far west coast.
Friends and family – including from interstate and overseas – are rallying behind the father of four’s distraught widow, who is pregnant with their fifth child.
Thousands of dollars had already been raised last night through an online page and donations at his local mosque, near his West Croydon home.
Mr Hotak, 29, a popular Afghani community leader and talented cricketer from Kabul, was his family’s main breadwinner, working various jobs.
His family, who came to Australia from Afghanistan in 2014, want him to be buried in his homeland and donations will help return his body after a criminal autopsy.
He not only supported his wife and children but also two siblings and his elderly mother.
“The family are so very sad,” close friend Mansoor Hashimi, 30, said yesterday.
“They can’t believe their most important person is no longer with them.”
Mr Hashimi, the Afghan Cricket Club president, said players had decided to not play a match this weekend and would instead support the family.
A “tribute game” will also be played in the New Year.
“They all need the support and we are all doing everything we can do help them.”
More than $6500 was raised from mosque attendees on Monday night. A separate social media campaign had last night raised more than $5000 of a $30,000 goal total.
The body of Mr Hotak was found at a rest stop by a passing motorist, 105km west of the Nullarbor Roadhouse near the Western Australian border, at 3.30pm on Monday.
He had suffered head injuries from an unknown weapon, later seized by Major Crime detectives.
Almost five hours earlier, his accused killer hitched a ride with a farmer, 60km to Yalata, after his hired Holden Trax TJ wagon ran out of fuel on the Eyre Hwy, near Nundroo.
When police returned the man to his car, about 160km west of Ceduna, their suspicions were immediately aroused at the sight of blood inside and on the panels of the wagon.
Police said the trip to Perth was “social” and not linked to any criminal activity.
The victim’s Victorian friend, 32, was charged with murder. He appeared via video link late on Monday and was remanded in custody until August.
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