Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim farewelled at funeral service at Epping Mosque

Two days after Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim was murdered in a brazen execution-style shooting, distraught family and friends have farewelled the slain underworld figure in Melbourne’s north at an emotional service.

Distraught family and friends of Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim farewelled the slain underworld figure in Melbourne’s north at an emotional service on Thursday.

Two days after Abdulrahim was murdered in a brazen execution-style shooting, police surrounded the Alawi Islamic Association of Victoria Centre in Epping where loved ones could be seen crying and hugging one another.

His father, Farouk Abdulrahim, had to be helped by relatives as he broke down and cried outside the community centre alongside Abdulrahim’s mother, who would be seen wiping away tears.

Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim was shot dead on Tuesday. Picture: Jason Edwards

Abdulrahim is being farewelled in a service at the Epping Mosque.

A hearse carrying Abdulrahim’s coffin arrives at Epping mosque.

Abdulrahim’s coffin is removed from the hearse. Picture: David Geraghty

The boxer’s coffin is carried into the mosque. Picture: David Geraghty

Loved ones carry floral arrangements into the mosque.

Mourners embrace outside the service.

Family and friends arrive for the funeral.

Grieving loved ones comfort each other. Picture: David Geraghty

Mourners embrace outside the service.

Mourners arrive at Epping mosque.

Women were heard wailing as mourners kissed a framed photograph of Abdulrahim.

Steven Eglezos, owner of Power Gymnasium, the gym repeatedly torched because of its close ties to Abdulrahim, attended the ceremony with his son Andrew, one of “The Punisher’s” close friends.

Kickboxing trainer and gym owner Mark “Hammer” Castagnini also attended the memorial.

Men carried a floral arrangement that spelled “Suna”, Abdulrahim’s nickname among friends and family.

A procession of motorcycles, some branded with his boxing name “The Punisher”, then led his hearse to Fawkner cemetery where he was buried in a gold casket on Thursday afternoon.

Mourners comfort each other. Picture: David Geraghty

Friends and family arrive for the funeral. Picture: David Geraghty

A crowd gathers outside.

Mourners make their way into the mosque.

A crowd packs the service.

Mourners arrive on motorbikes.

Police maintain a presence at the mosque. Picture: David Geraghty

Friends and loved ones of Abdulrahim.

Loved ones enter the service.

The underworld identity’s final resting place is the same location where gunmen attempted to kill him, in one of seven attempts on his life, as he left his cousin Naz’s funeral in June 2022.

Marked and unmarked police cars were stationed at every entrance of the memorial park on Thursday, while Highway Patrol cars diverted traffic away from the procession as it travelled from the mosque to the cemetery.

With a $2m bounty on his head, Abdulrahim had managed to survive the slew of previous hits, until four gunmen shot the 32-year-old former bikie turned boxer twice in the head as he walked to his car at the Quest Hotel on High St in Preston on Tuesday.

His killers fled the scene of his execution in a white Porsche Macan before dumping it and setting it alight in Reservoir and fleeing in a grey Ford Ranger.

The Ranger was later also found torched in Westmeadows.

Abdulrahim’s coffin is carried from the mosque after the service. Picture: David Geraghty

Mourners weep outside the service. Picture: David Geraghty

Crowds gather outside the moque as Abdulrahim’s casket is removed.

A motorbike procession leads a hearse carrying Abdulrahim’s body to the burial.

Abdulrahim with his wife, Chloe Wakim, and their young daughter. Picture: Jason Edwards

Abdulrahim celebrates a boxing win with his little girl and his wife, Chloe. Picture: Jason Edwards

Homicide squad detectives will investigate whether the killers’ vehicles were caught fleeing the area on a nearby speed camera.

­Detective Inspector Dean Thomas of the homicide squad this week said he hoped Abdulrahim’s family and friends would help police track down his killers by sharing information.

Abdulrahim had amassed a long list of rivals and, as a result, had been in the gun for several years leading up to his death.

He had been a marked man since the murder of drug dealer Kadir “KD” Ors in 2016, when he was shot dead in Campbellfield.

Abdulrahim was widely suspected of helping lure Ors, a close friend of deported tobacco kingpin Kazem “Kaz” Hamad, to his death.

Hamad and “The Punisher” had remained enemies since, and the shooting soured the relationship between Abdulrahim and Ahmed Al Hamza, a close ally of Hamad.

He was booted from the Mongols after causing too much tension within the club during his brief membership.

Abdulrahim survived the ambush at his cousin’s funeral despite being shot eight times, including multiple bullet wounds to his chest, before posting a picture of his wounds to social media.

It has been suggested that Al Hamza helped orchestrate that kill plot.

Then in May last year, gunmen fired 17 shots at Abdulrahim, but all missed, after luring him out of his Thomastown home by setting his parents’ cars on fire.

Abdulrahim repeatedly fled overseas in recent months in an attempt to throw off his attackers.

The investigation into Abdulrahim’s murder continues, with how his killers gained entry into the secure hotel car park to form a central line of inquiry.

Police are investigating whether his killers fled overseas.

Originally published as Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim farewelled at funeral service at Epping Mosque