Abuzar Sultani and Murder Crew 13 underlings challenge guilty verdicts, sentences

Triple murderer Abuzar Sultani is appealing his three life sentences. His underlings are launching challenges of their own.

A group of convicted killers and former bikies whose victims included underworld figure Pasquale Barbaro are challenging their guilty verdicts and their sentences in the Court of Criminal Appeal.

In return, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has lodged an appeal against the “lenient” sentence handed down to Mirwais Danishyar, 28, who was jailed for 15 years with a minimum of 11 years for Pasquale’s murder.

Abuzar Sultani was arrested in November 2016, and later pleaded guilty to three murders including Pasquale Barbaro. Picture: Channel 7

Danishyar, whose gang nickname was “Outta Control”, was the getaway driver when Barbaro was shot five times as he got into his Mercedes-Benz in 2016 outside construction figure George Alex’s mother’s house in Larkhall Street, Earlwood where he had been for dinner.

Sydney underworld identity Pasquale Barbaro was shot five times as he got into his car.

The Court of Criminal Appeal was told on Thursday that their leader, accounting student Abs Sultani, 32, intended to lodge an appeal against his three life sentences after he pleaded guilty to murdering Barbaro, Rebel bikie Michael Davey in 2016 and drug dealer Mehmet Yilmaz in the same year.

He would not be appealing his convictions because of his guilty pleas, the court was told.

Sultani’s lieutenant in “Murder Crew 13”, Siar Munshizada, 33, who had been sergeant-at-arms of the Rebels Burwood chapter, intended to appeal his convictions for all three murders, of which he had pleaded not guilty, and his three life sentences.

Murder Crew 13 ‘lieutenant’ Siar Munshizada pleaded not guilty to all three murders. Picture: AAP Image/Paul Miller

The fourth member, former bricklayer Joshua Baines, 29, intended to appeal his conviction for murdering Barbaro and was considering appealing the severity of his sentence of 36 years with a non-parole period of 27 years, the court was told.

The men were all sentenced in December 2021 in the Supreme Court by Justice Des Fagan.

Their cases were adjourned and their lawyers were told they may not be heard until 2023.