Bassam Hamzy trial: No verdict reached in Brothers 4 Life commander drug supply trial

There’s been a major development in the drug supply trial of Brothers 4 Life commander Bassam Hamzy with the jury delivering a note to the judge.

Sydney’s Downing Centre court complex where, on Friday, a jury was discharged in Bassam Hamzy’s drug-supply trial. Picture: Nikki Short

A jury in the high-profile trial of Brothers 4 Life commander Bassam Hamzy – charged with meth supply, dealing with criminal proceeds and hindering police – has been discharged after they were unable to reach an unanimous or majority verdict.

It comes after a three-week trial and almost two days of deliberation.

On Friday at Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court, the jury’s note, delivered to presiding judge Antony Townsend, revealed the group were unable to reach a majority verdict on the charges of commercial quantity drug supply, knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, and hindering the arrest of a person who committed a serious offence.

The jury deliberated for 35 hours before notifying Judge Townsend.

Hamzy, who appeared in person across the trial which started on May 2, had pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

Brothers 4 Life commander Bassam Hamzy.

The Crown had alleged, throughout the trial, that Hamzy had “co-ordinated” the supply of methylamphetamine from his jail cell, with the alleged supply taking place in Wollongong between October 2017 and February 2018.

Prosecutor Adrian Robertson had alleged in court Hamzy on multiple “coded conference calls” from custody with his then-lawyer Martin Churchill and ‘Witness I’ – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – directed the latter on five occasions to supply meth to an Australian woman.

A jury was unable to reach an unanimous verdict across all three charges laid against Hamzy.

The allegations were denied by Hamzy, through his barrister Dennis Stewart.

Mr Stewart, in his opening remarks, had alleged a key Crown witness had “falsely implicated” his client so as to himself get out of “deep trouble”.

The prosecution case had relied on two key witnesses: The aforementioned Witness I and a Witness A, who cannot be identified for legal reasons. Both gave evidence in closed court.

The court heard previously during the trial that the NSW Attorney-General had granted Witness I indemnity from prosecution in the case, and that both Witness I and Witness A would benefit from reduced sentences if they gave truthful evidence.

Hamzy remains behind bars at Goulburn Supermax and won’t be available for parole until at least 2035 pertaining to historic convictions.

The matter will return to the same court on June 2 for mention.