Tarek Zahed: Comanchero bikie denies perverting the course of justice
As fears brew of violent bikie war between two of Sydney’s biggest outlaw motorcycle gangs, a sergeant-at-arms of the Comancheros has been charged with perverting the course of justice.
Central Sydney
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As fears brew of violent bikie war between two of Sydney’s biggest outlaw motorcycle gangs, one of the city’s top ranking bikies has been charged with perverting the course of justice.
Police allege sergeant-at-arms of the Comancheros Sydney chapter, Tarek Zahed, used sworn statements with false information before the courts on three separate occasions last year.
The 40-year-old Homebush man, known to be one of the gang’s top figures with strong links to exiled boss Mark Buddle, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Lawyer Gemma Ridley, representing her employer Bannisters Lawyers, fought a police-issued subpoena which requested information about the creation of an affidavit on the grounds of legal privilege.
Police allege in court documents a false document was sworn by Zahed before Abigail Bannister, principal of Bannisters Law, in March 2019. The legal firm has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The court heard the affidavits allegedly didn’t include Zahed’s complete criminal history and listed a home address he did not live at.
Ms Ridley told the court the address listed on the sworn affidavit was that of his family home in Yagoona, where he visited regularly and was “contactable”.
The lawyer also revealed, when arguing against the subpoena, that police alleged the senior outlaw bikie had failed to include in the sworn legal documents a criminal conviction of failing to reveal the identity of a passenger in his car.
“(Zahed) has an extensive criminal history which includes a shooting matter,” she said.
“(He) does not have possession of his criminal record. It is not a document he has access to.
“In the course of his long period of offending, he has been in and out of jail, it is not substantial.”
Court documents allege the Homebush man tendered misleading information at two bail proceedings and a sentencing in 2019. He was arrested and charged by police officers from Strike Force Raptor in April this year.
A decision on the subpoena will be delivered on September 18, with the hearing on the Zahed’s criminal charges to take place in January.