NewsBite

Michael Odisho, Ahmed Hoblos: Coronavirus halts Sydney trial

Two men, accused of manipulating a gangland court case, have had their trial collapse twice because of coronavirus.

Michael Odisho.
Michael Odisho.

A trial of two men, who allegedly meddled in a gangland shooting court case, has collapsed twice because of the coronavirus pandemic and one man is now being released on bail.

Michael Odisho and Ahmed Hoblos were facing the NSW District Court for their alleged roles in manipulating a 2016 gangland shooting trial.

They have both pleaded not guilty.

The jury had been told a gang member, in 2013, was shot three times in the leg after he went on a two-day bender with cocaine he was supposed to sell for the group.

Three years later Odisho faced trial for orchestrating the shooting after he loaded the gun and handed it to the trigger man.

Odisho’s trial will run for up to six weeks in September.
Odisho’s trial will run for up to six weeks in September.

The victim told the jury Odisho had nothing to do with his shooting.

Odisho was convicted anyway and, this year, faced trial again accused of paying the victim $25,000 in exchange for his silence.

Odisho is facing two counts of perverting the course of justice while Hoblos is accused of filing a false affidavit in support of Odisho.

The court case began earlier this month and lasted for six days before a juror fell ill with flu-like symptoms and self-isolated

The juror chose not to test for COVID-19 and their GP refused to clear them to return to court so Judge Peter Zahra chose to discharge the jury on March 12 and assemble a second jury.

That second jury heard about seven days of evidence before the crown prosecutor was taken ill on March 23.

The court heard she had flu symptoms and her partner had just returned from Europe where the coronavirus pandemic is at its most widespread.

The prosecutor and her family would eventually test negative for the virus but, after almost a week of adjournments, Judge Zahra felt the jury would struggle to follow the complex evidence.

The court heard the pandemic may also become a distraction and concern for the jury who would need to focus clearly on the trial for at least another month.

Odisho’s (pictured) co-accused Ahmed Hoblos has been granted bail.
Odisho’s (pictured) co-accused Ahmed Hoblos has been granted bail.

“The burden of attendance for jury service is substantial and … (The jurors) have expressed concerns about their vulnerability while travelling to and from court each day,” the judge said.

Odisho appeared frustrated, rubbing his head and sighing heavily as the judge adjourned the trial again.

Hoblos’ legal team successfully applied for his release on bail following the second adjournment – he had been in custody since April last year awaiting trial.

His lawyer, Mostafa Daoudie, told The Daily Telegraph they’d continue to fight the charges and were determined to prove his innocence in court.

He said his client was pleased to be released given the escalating pandemic.

“The safety of the community is important but so is the safety of the individual – and my client has a right to be safe,” Mr Daoudie said.

“We will argue (in September) that the affidavit he signed was true and correct.”

The trial is expected to begin for a third time on September 28.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-sydney/sydney-gangland-trial-collapses-twice-because-of-coronavirus/news-story/c6270c9bbbb7d14e0f6abc419e931ea4