Noah Touma denied bail after allegedly attempting to kill ex-UFC fighter Suman Mokhtarian outside Wentworthville gym
A once promising rugby league player who allegedly tried to shoot dead a former UFC fighter has sought bail in a Sydney court.
The Express
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A once promising rugby league player accused of trying to shoot dead a former UFC fighter at a busy Sydney gym earlier this year will remain behind bars.
Noah Touma was denied bail at Bankstown Local Court on Thursday after Magistrate Glenn Walsh found his detention was justified due to it being a “very strong circumstantial case”, including the 20-year-old’s alleged “connection to the scooter” used in the shooting and later destroyed.
NSW Police allege he was dressed as a food delivery rider, wearing hi-vis and a helmet, and ran up to the outside of Top Team Gym at Wentworthville and opened fire.
Touma’s alleged target was Suman Mokhtarian, a co-owner of the gym and a former UFC fighter.
He was arrested by Raptor Squad officers at his home in Campsie on Wednesday morning and charged with 10 offences, including shooting with intent to murder. He is yet to enter pleas.
Touma was a development player with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in his teens, smiling happily as he signed a junior contract.
But, police allege in recent years he had developed links to organised crime networks, culminating in him taking up the contract of attempting to kill Mokhtarian.
On the night of February 20, 2024, police allege Touma was assisted in carrying out the shooting by Usman Chami, who has previously been charged by police with shoot at with intent to murder and discharge firearm intending grievous bodily harm and remains in custody.
Touma allegedly pulled up outside the gym on his scooter at 7.47pm and walked up towards Mokhtarian, before firing a single shot at his target from close range.
Police allege the first shot not only missed but resulted in his gun jamming, giving Mokhtarian and some of the other 30 gym goers a chance to run.
As the former UFC fighter ran through the gym, police allege Touma followed and with his gun working again, he fired three more shots, two hitting a brick wall and one piercing a boxing bag.
No one inside the gym was injured.
Touma’s high-profile barrister Greg James KC said on Thursday his client had made no admissions to the alleged shooting, although noting he did agree to knowing Chami.
The court heard there was no visual identification of his client through CCTV and the only link was Touma “obtaining the scooter” and police then tracing its movements.
Mr James said his client needed to be released on home detention to care for his 17-year-old wife and to continue working with his dad as a house painter.
His dad proposed $150,000 surety.
However, the prosecutor argued it was a strong case against Touma and further evidence and forensics was likely to come.
He said there was “clearly not only pre-planning, but post-planning” involved in allegedly destroying evidence.
Mr Walsh ultimately denied Touma bail, saying the case was strong, citing his connection to the scooter, his “telephone pinging from towers” at various locations and his links to co-accused Chami.
The matter has been adjourned to Parramatta Local Court.
Touma’s lawyer Mohamed Bejjaoui told this publication his client “denies his involvement in the matter”.
“We say there are deficiencies in the crown case, and we are instructed to make a Supreme Court bail application,” he said.
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