The victim of an alleged kidnapping and bashing claims that he was targeted by the accused because he (the victim) had been accused of assaulting women in his local community.
The case surrounding Nemer Abusamha, 31, garnered widespread attention earlier this year over false claims it was racially or religiously motivated.
Nemer Abusamha, a victim of an alleged kidnapping and bashing. Credit: Instagram
On Wednesday, community activist Laura Allam, 28, Mohammad Sharab, 37, and another man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court over an alleged plot that saw Abusamha kidnapped and beaten, including with a hammer, on February 16, 2024. They are defending the charges.
Abusamha, wearing a black suit jacket and playing with a purple stress ball, took the stand via video link and described what he was told by one of the accused was the reason for his “demonic” assault.
Abusamha said he was told during his abduction that a group of women would be waiting for him at a drop-off point.
“Did Offender #1 [Sharab] say you’ve been sleeping with some girls from the community, and once we arrive, they will be there and see you die. Is that right?” Sharab’s barrister Emily Clark asked.
“That’s correct,” Abusamha said.
Abusamha has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
”Did you tell the police the names [of the women] that he told you about who would be waiting?” Clark asked.
“I was trying to avoid that because I don’t think they’re relevant to the kidnapping, but I think the police knew their names,” Abusamha testified.
Abusamha said during the attack one of the offenders also tried to pull out his eye and bite off his lips.
Burgertory founder Hash Tayeh was called as a witness in the case.Credit: Nine
The assailants also allegedly broke his finger when he refused to turn over the passcode to his mobile phone, which was stolen along with his watch.
Abusamha said he was explicitly warned to “leave my job, drop my permanent residency application and leave the country”.
Abusamha said the rumours about his conduct had spread overseas to his sister.
“I think my sister was actually trying to see whether what they have done is justified – probably because we come from the same culture. She doesn’t believe what happened to me is right, but she just wanted to see actually whether the offender’s accusations against me are true,” he told the court.
”She asked me why they did it, and I said, like, they say I did 1, 2, 3, 4 to certain people, like, sort of harassment accusations.
“I think my private life is a private life, and I think I’ve not done anything wrong.”
Abusamha said he had been arrested and interviewed over a sexual assault allegation after the alleged kidnapping and assault. He has not been charged.
“I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone in the community,” Abusamha said.
Abusamha was cross-examined about what he might have told police about the motivation for the attack on him.
News Corp outlets have previously reported a conversation that Abusamha allegedly had with his employer, in which he claimed to be a victim of political, racial or religious violence because of his employer’s background.
The reporting led to a suppression order that limits the language that can be used to describe the false motive for the attack. The supposed racial or religious motive has been denied under oath by police and in public media statements.
Abusamha told the court he called his boss and asked him to lock his work-related accounts because his phone had been stolen and the attackers had the passcode.
“I told the police that my boss is [religion redacted] and [political ideology redacted]. I mean they mentioned leave your job, leave the country, leave your permanent application, stuff like this. For a moment, I thought that I should also protect my boss if anything is related to him. Nothing is related to him, of course.
“I think the matter with my employment is irrelevant, in my opinion.”
The court also heard that after the alleged attack Abusamha texted Hashem Tayeh – the owner of the Burgertory chain and a political activist – asking for help in getting back his mobile phone and watch.
Questioning focused around whether Abusamha was offered or sought financial compensation from Tayeh or another man for not filing charges or dropping his complaint.
“I did not ask for money,” Abusamha testified. “Mr Tayeh was not involved in negotiating a deal. He did not offer anything.”
Tayeh denied offering $10,000 to Abusamha.
“No, but I did offer him money,” Tayeh said. “He told me that his wallet was taken and he had no money, he hadn’t eaten and he couldn’t afford to go home from the hospital. So I offered to buy him a kebab and to give him money until he was able to sort himself out. But that wasn’t in relation to dropping any complaints. It was just trying to help out another fellow human being.”
Allam has been charged with false imprisonment and assault offences. Sharab has been charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, armed robbery and making threats to kill.
The committal will continue in January.
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