Teen killed in alleged Zillmere ‘revenge attack’ was not part of earlier assault

A Zillmere ambush that took a teen’s life and was executed by men with covered faces, armed with weapons as a retaliation for a brutal assault on another man five days earlier, a court has heard.

Girum Mekonnen lost his life in an alleged brawl in Zillmere. Picture: Facebook

An ambush in a suburban park that took a teenager’s life and was executed by men with covered faces and armed with machetes, bats and knives, was retaliation for a brutal assault on another man five days earlier, a court has heard.

However, a detective revealed that the teenager killed in the alleged park revenge attack was not one of the four people charged over the earlier assault.

Girum Mekonnen, 19, was allegedly murdered in O’Callaghan Park – home to North Star Football Club and the local PCYC – in Zillmere in Brisbane’s north on September 13, 2020.

The accused are Alex Edward Deng, 22, Ben Abio, 23, Majok Riel Majok, 23, Yohana Wal Wal, 23, Malat Akoi Makuach, 25, Juma Makuol Deng Makuol, 27, Chan Kuchmol Kon, 28, Joseph Lokolong, 28, Kresto Wal Wal, 28, Abraham Ajang Yaak, 30, Gabreal Wal Wal, 31, and Santo Wal, 36.

Each defendant currently on trial is charged with one count of murder, nine counts of malicious acts with intent, as well as one count of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and in company. Each defendant has pleaded not guilty to all 11 charges.

A thirteenth person charged in relation to the Zillmere park incident has been granted a separate trial, due to happen sometime next year.

Girum Mekonnen.

The trial originally began last week with a jury, but the jury was sensationally discharged due to apprehended bias after some jurors said they were worried for their safety due to the possibility of seeing some of the accused killers outside during lunch breaks.

Lawyers for the defendants then made applications for a judge-only trial, and following legal arguments, Justice Lincoln Crowley granted their applications on the grounds of expediency and to prevent further delay of the trial. The Brisbane Supreme Court trial restarted on Tuesday as a judge-only proceeding, overseen by Justice Crowley.

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said 10 of the accused allegedly went to the park that afternoon wearing Covid masks, bandannas and hoodies over their heads, while armed with baseball bats, knives, and long blades such as machetes.

The three others – Santo Wal, Yohana Wal Wal, and Malat Akoi Makuach – are accused of acting as the drivers of three separate cars, travelling to Zillmere from Ipswich that day.

Mr Crane said the group of victims were unarmed. They were in O’Callaghan Park drinking, talking and playing cards like they did every week around the same time.

“The Crown case is that the group went to the park to do serious bodily harm to the complainants,” Mr Crane told the court on Tuesday in his opening statement.

“The group went to perpetrate serious violence, they aided the others by, what the Crown would say, is a classic example of encouragement by presence, that is, it is not opportunistic, it is deliberate.

“The Crown’s primary case is that the common unlawful purpose was a fact at the time of departing the parked convoy – that is, those inside the car and outside the car knew what the purpose was.”

Girum Mekonnen.

Mr Crane said the Crown alleged the motive for the Zillmere park ambush was a “gratuitous group assault” five days earlier on a man named John Wal – who is the brother of four of the defendants, including Kresto Wal Wal.

John Wal was attacked and had his head stomped on at Redbank Plains Shopping Centre by a group of unknown size on September 8, 2020.

John Wal is not charged or accused of being present at O’Callaghan Park.

Mr Crane said Kresto is accused of being the “primary inciter” of the group in the park.

Mr Crane said Kresto allegedly said words to the effect of “there’s no way you’re going to get away with this” and “this is for my brother”.

Among the first witnesses on Tuesday was Detective Sergeant Joel Munn, of the Ipswich Child Protection Investigation Unit, who investigated the assault on John Wal.

He said four juveniles were charged in relation to John Wal’s assault and several of them had violent histories.

Detective Sergeant Munn did concede that he was not able to identify others who may have been involved in John Wal’s assault, and further conceded that there may have been others involved who may have been adults.

The O’Callaghan Park victim – Girum Mekonnen – was not a legal minor at the time.

Defence barrister Scott Lynch, representing Kresto Wal Wal, gave a brief opening statement on Tuesday, saying his client admitted to being at O’Callaghan Park that day.

“But the issue is whether he was an actor or caused any injury, and whether he aided to stab or wound the deceased or others and whether he had instruments [weapons]. It is also an issue as to whether Kresto Wal Wal was part of any alleged plan or common intention that he or others may have formed, and that is not accepted,” Mr Lynch told the court.

Defence barrister Jeffrey Hunter, representing Gabreal Wal Wal, also said his client did not dispute that he was at the park that day, but was contesting exactly where he allegedly was and what he allegedly did.

Mr Hunter said he would scrutinise two witnesses who initially did not give statements, but later said Gabreal was at the park that day and they saw him armed with a machete.

Mr Hunter expressed particular concern about one witness, telling the court that they were only able to positively identify his client after looking at Facebook photos.

The trial continues on Wednesday.