Alleged victim of park attack gives evidence

A man yelled ‘this is for my brother’ as allegedly armed men attacked a group of people, including Girum Mekonnen who would later be pronounced dead at the scene, a court has heard.

A man yelled “this is for my brother” as men allegedly attacked a group of people including Girum Mekonnen who would later be pronounced dead at the scene, a court has heard.

Police allege 13 men descended on Mr Mekonnen and his friends with weapons in O’Callaghan Park, Zillmere, in Brisbane’s north on September 13, 2020

Alex Edward Deng, Ben Abio, Chan Kuchmol Kon, Joseph Lokolong, Majok Riel Majok Juma Makuol Deng Makuol, Anas Ayman Abdu Musa, Kresto Wal Wal, Yohana Wal Wal, Gabreal Wal Wal, Santo Wal, Malat Akoi Makuach and Abraham Ajang Yaak have all been charged with Mr Mekonnen’s murder along with affray and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

Girum Mekonnen died following a fight at a Zillmere park

Eleven of the men faced Brisbane Magistrates Court for the second day of a committal hearing.

Witness Rose Mabior was among those allegedly attacked by the defendants.

Ms Mabior was declared a special witness by Magistrate Belinda Merrin meaning she could give evidence from a different room to the court.

She told police that one of the men was heard to say “this is for my brother”, the court heard.

Yesterday the court heard police allege one of the defendant’s brothers had been attacked at a shopping centre prior to the incident and he was seeking retribution.

The court heard when police arrived on the scene Ms Mabior initially told an officer she didn’t recognise any of her attackers.

Two days later in a police statement Ms Mabior identified four defendants as allegedly involved in the attack, the court was told.

Barrister Angus Edwards, representing Musa, asked Ms Mabior why she initially said she didn’t know her attackers.

“At that moment I was in pain, I wasn’t going to have a conversation about what I’d saw,” she said.

“So you lied to police?” Mr Edwards asked.

“I did not lie,” she said

Several hours after the incident Ms Mabior again spoke to police at the hospital where she was being treated.

Mr Edwards asked why she failed to mention his client in that conversation.

“Someone just died, my friend just died, got killed … I needed some time to process things,” she said.

The hearing resumes Thursday.