Bombshell cocaine claims in cricketer Stuart MacGill kidnapping case
A lawyer for one of the men charged with kidnapping Stuart MacGill has alleged in court that the former Test cricketer facilitated cocaine deals at his Sydney restaurant.
Police & Courts
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Bombshell allegations have been made in court that cricketer Stuart MacGill facilitated cocaine deals at his restaurant on Sydney’s north shore.
The claims emerged in Central Local Court on Thursday, where one of the men charged with kidnapping MacGill over a botched cocaine deal was granted bail.
Police allege Vaeluagaomatagy Feilo was a part of a crime syndicate whose members kidnapped the ex-Test spin bowler after forcing him into a car outside his Cremorne apartment on April 14.
MacGill told police he was then driven to a rural Western Sydney property where he was stripped naked and bashed.
Police allege MacGill was kidnapped after being held responsible for his friend Zack “Sonny” Elkheir, who is accused of stealing 2kg of cocaine from a drug syndicate.
Police have publicly said that MacGill is an innocent party who has not committed any crime and unwittingly introduced Sonny to an alleged member of the syndicate.
But Feilo’s high-profile lawyer Kiki Kyriacou told Magistrate Michael Price in Central Local Court on Thursday that MacGill’s credibility will be called into question when the matter goes to trial.
Mr Kyriacou told the court three statements had been served by police, written by witnesses, who will give evidence that MacGill put them in contact with a cocaine dealer named Sonny.
“ … And on occasions they would meet Sonny at (MacGill’s) restaurant to purchase cocaine…,” Mr Kyriacou told the court.
Mr Kyriacou told the court that MacGill’s actions could be interpreted as the cricketer committing the offence of knowingly taking part in the supply of cocaine.
This was a reference to the Neutral Bay eatery Aristotle’s that MacGill managed and was owned by his partner Maria O’Meagher. There is no suggestion Ms O’Meagher is linked in any way to any of the allegations against MacGill or others.
Mr Kyriacou told the court the witnesses wrote in their statements that MacGill introduced them to Sonny, either in person or by providing the alleged cocaine dealer’s phone number. Each of the witnesses then bought cocaine from Sonny, Mr Kyriacou told the court.
“He was introduced to me as Sonny and he could supply cocaine,” Mr Kyriacou told the court one of the witness statements said.
Another of the witnesses told police he occasionally used cocaine with MacGill, the court heard.
MacGill told police he introduced Sonny to Ms O’Meagher’s brother, Marino Sotiropoulos, after the pair asked him to, but had no idea why they wanted to meet.
Police allege Sonny stole 2kg of cocaine from Sotiropoulos and MacGill was kidnapped because he vouched for his friend.
“I would have thought it was highly suspicious that he didn’t know why he made the introduction,” Mr Kyriacou told the court.
Mr Kyriacou also told Magistrate Price the cricketer told police he did not involve himself with drugs but there was now “a number of (witness) statements that speak against that”.
Mr Kyriacou made the arguments to the court centred on MacGill’s credibility issues as the key witness in an effort to get Feilo bail.
Feilo is charged with take or detaining with intent to obtain an advantage. He was granted bail under house arrest with a $70,000 deposit.
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