Alleged Big Kash shooter Thomas Vandermade hit with new charges

A rapper remains behind bars just days after the alleged victim went to extraordinary lengths to deny co-operating with police after being trolled online.

A rapper accused of shooting a former bikie during an alleged drive-by in Sydney’s southwest has been hit with a new charge just days after the alleged victim created a podcast denying he was a snitch.

Sydney rapper Thomas Karras Vandermade is accused of injuring fellow rapper John Lavulo, aka “Big Kash”, who was shot in his forearm and elbow inside his car as he and his girlfriend returned to their Lachlan St home at Warwick Farm at 9pm on August 8.

Mr Vandermade, also a rapper known as “Masi Rooc”, was charged with attempted murder, discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and not disclosing the identity of a driver or passenger.

He has now been hit with a fresh charge of possessing an unauthorised firearm.

Thomas Karras Vandermade, who allegedly shot John Lavulo in Warwick Farm in September, has now been charged with possessing a firearm. Picture: Instagram

The new charge comes days after Mr Lavulo posted a 30-minute long podcast on YouTube after he was trolled on social media.

Prompted by an influx of rat emojis on his Instagram photos, Mr Lavulo repeatedly said he has not co-operated with police and was not a “snitch”.

Mr Vandermade was refused bail in March despite telling Campbelltown Local Court he “wanted to get back to his music career”.

In the podcast, posted online on Saturday, Mr Lavulo repeatedly told viewers he was not a rat.

“There’s only one form of snitching, writing it on paper, going to court and bang. It is always the people that aren’t in the street that sit there looking into stuff, they’ve got nothing to do with it,” he said.

John Lavulo, who goes by the moniker Big Kash, was trolled online after he was accused of being a snitch. Picture: Instagram

John Lavulo, who goes by the moniker Big Kash, posted a podcast following the online trolling. Picture: Instagram

Throughout the half-hour long episode, Mr Lavulo said he did not need to address the snitching claims.

“At the same point, we don’t need to address it, we know the truth. We spoke about it before as long as the people I care about know the truth then … there’s nothing you can say anymore, there is no more rat emojis,” he said.

John Lavulo drove himself to Liverpool Hospital following the alleged shooting. Picture: Instagram

During court proceedings, the court heard Mr Lavulo refused to make official statements as the alleged victim involved in the shooting.

CCTV footage shown to the court last month shows the moment Mr Vandermade allegedly followed Mr Lavulo down a driveway of the Warwick Farm property.

In the footage, a man alleged to be Mr Vandermade, gets out of a red car and charges towards Mr Lavulo and his girlfriend, before allegedly firing a pistol into the car.

The court heard another vehicle had allegedly blocked the exit for the car that was being shot at.

He was initially refused bail in August but appeared in court again last month, fighting the refusal.

Magistrate Shane McAnulty said he believed the prosecution case to be “strong” and refused bail.

The 29-year-old is a known member of The OC gang, and has since spread to the suburbs of Mt Druitt.

The rapper had also released a single before the arrest called “Stick and Move”.

The matters remain before the courts.