One of 13 men charged over alleged Zillmere park murder denied bail

One of 13 men charged with murder following a park brawl between two groups in Brisbane’s north has been denied bail for a second time.

One of 13 men charged with the murder of a teenager during a brawl between two groups at a Zillmere park in 2020 has been refused bail for a second time.

Girum Mekonnen, 19, died after allegedly being fatally stabbed in O’Callaghan Park, Zillmere, in Brisbane’s north on September 13, 2020, and 11 others were injured.

Police allege 13 men – 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 – were involved in the attack.

They have all been charged with murder, affray and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

Two of them have already been committed for trial.

Kresto Wal Wal, one of 11 men to face a committal hearing that began last month, was refused bail by Justice David Boddice in December, 2020, and has been in custody ever since.

He again applied for bail before Justice Boddice on Tuesday, with his lawyer arguing that there had been a material change in circumstance because of a lengthy delay in the committal hearing.

Police at a Zillmere park where a man died following an altercation in September 2020. File picture

The committal was adjourned last month after it emerged that several recordings between police and witnesses had not been disclosed to the defendants’ lawyers.

The committal hearing will resume on December 19 and if committed the men are not expected to face a trial until the second half of next year.

It is alleged that the 13 accused men travelled to the park, armed with weapons, in order to attack another group in an act of retaliation, Justice Boddice said.

He said when he previously considered Kresto Wal Wal’s bail application he was satisfied there was a risk of flight, in circumstances where he was facing a strong case against him.

Justice Boddice said there was circumstantial evidence identifying Kresto as being in the park and armed on the day of the alleged attack on Mr Mekonnen.

The judge said there also was circumstantial evidence of him using a weapon, but not against the person who died.

Justice Boddice said it was accepted that there were deficiencies in identification of “who may have done what”.

But he said the Crown case was based on all of the defendants being part of a group that travelled some distance, carrying weapons for the purpose of engaging in violence against another group.

It was submitted by Kresto Wal Wal’s lawyer that his brothers, Yohana and Gabreal Wal Wal, had been granted bail and had not fled.

But Justice Boddice said he had to consider Kresto’s risk of flight, with a strong case and the prospect of him facing a life sentence if he was convicted of murder.

Refusing bail, Justice Boddice said there remained a real and substantial risk of flight and no bail conditions could render the risk acceptable.