Marlee Lusio: Caringbah teen accused of concealing alleged bashing
A 19-year-old accused of concealing an alleged brutal bashing has been released on bail to live with her mother. The teen’s boyfriend and his cousin have been charged with murder over the alleged fatal beating.
Macarthur
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A woman accused of hiding the alleged bashing death of an 18-year-old for which her boyfriend and his cousin have been charged with murder has been granted bail in the Supreme Court.
A woman accused of hiding the alleged bashing death of an 18-year-old for which her boyfriend and his cousin have been charged with murder has been granted bail in the Supreme Court.
Marlee Lusio was granted bail on Tuesday after almost three months in custody on the condition she live with her mother at her Caringbah South home.
The 19-year-old is accused of watching a group of men violently assault Alex Ioane out the front of a wild Ingleburn house party in May 2019.
Police also allege she took a picture of Ioane laying face down at the scene.
The alleged assault resulted in Ioane’s death.
Lusio was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence after allegedly keeping the information secret from police for ten months.
The Supreme Court heard on Tuesday that the Crown case was “strong” and that admissions had been made by the applicant during her police interview.
The Crown opposed bail stating it feared Lusio would try to impede witnesses.
Justice Walton told the court he finds “an unacceptable risk in relation to … interference with witnesses” but said her new bail conditions could remedy such a concern.
Lusio’s bail conditions state that she is not to have contact with any prosecution witnesses or her co-accused, including her boyfriend Mateaki Jeff Taumalolo, who is one of four people charged with murder.
She must also abide by a curfew of 7am to 8pm, and not leave the home without supervision.
Lusio was previously refused bail at Campbelltown Local Court on April 29.
At the time, magistrate Michael Barko said he found it “unfathomable” that she should allegedly “do nothing” as an eyewitness and deliberately conceal the incident afterwards.
Cousins Mateaki Jeff and Tafuna Taumalolo, and two minors, have been charged with murder.
Mateaki Jeff’s brothers Suliasi Levula and Elimeleki Taumalolo are also before the courts in relation to the death, charged with affray and conceal serious indictable offence respectively.
Tafuna Taumalolo’s sister, Lute Taumalolo, and a 15-year-old girl have also been charged with concealing a serious indictable offence.
Lusio will return to Campbelltown Local Court on July 8.