Key witness in Jason De Ieso murder trial tells court he feared being bashed or shot
A witness in the murder trial of Jason De Ieso has described fearing he could be bashed or shot because there was “talk of killing me”, a jury has heard.
Police & Courts
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A witness in the Jason De Ieso murder trial said he had contacted police out of fear because he had heard “talk of killing me” after the fatal shooting, a court has heard.
The witness – who has been giving evidence in the Supreme Court for more than a week – was asked about calls he made to police after he was found with a gun linked to the scene of Mr De Ieso’s November 2012 murder.
He told the court he had feared being “bashed” or “shot”.
“That’s why I called the police … I heard there was talk of killing me,” he said.
“I was scared. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place … I didn’t sleep.”
The court has previously heard the witness had initially told police he found a revolver linked to the scene near railway tracks on his way to work, before later telling them murder-accused Musa Alzuain had given him the weapon two days after Mr De Ieso was killed at his Pooraka workshop in November 2012.
The jury has heard Mr De Ieso was an innocent man who was shot in the midst of a bikie feud involving rival gangs, the Finks and Hells Angels.
The witness said he feared the accused would get hold of his unsigned statements when he learned arrests in the case were coming in mid-2019.
The court heard the witness had provided information to police from 2013 after he was told he was a suspect in the murder.
“I would probably be shot by now because of the things I had said back then,” he said.
“I had no other option to tell the truth or go on the run.”
Mr Fowler-Walker suggested the witness had “made up” the story about seeing the group of men – including each of the eight men charged with Mr De Ieso’s murder – gathering at a Salisbury Hwy home of two of the men before the shooting.
“It definitely wasn’t a lie,” the witness responded.
“I wish it was a lie because I wouldn’t be here.”
He told the jury that “walking in that door changed my whole life”.
Mr Fowler-Walker also asked the witness about the August 2012 stabbing death of Christopher Hatzis outside a city nightclub.
Eight men, who are either members or closely linked to the Hells Angels, are charged with Mr De Ieso’s murder. They are: Husain Alzuain, 35, of Goodwood, Mohamed Alzuain, 31, of Mile End, Musa Ali Alzuain, 30, of St Morris, Daniel Mark Jalleh, 34, of Clovelly Park, Ross William Montgomery, 38, of Andrews Farm, Seywan Moradi, 36, of Walkley Heights, Kyle Lloyd Pryde, 34, of Adelaide and Nicholas Sianis, 36, of Beverley.
Each has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder.
The trial, before Auxiliary Justice Brian Martin and a jury, is expected to last up to six months.
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