Crime boss Bassam Hamzy sues NSW government over brother’s gangland assassination

The Saturday Telegraph has won a legal battle to lift a suppression order on an explosive case launched by the state’s most feared crime boss Bassam Hamzy.

Bassam Hamzy has launched a negligence case in the Supreme Court, claiming NSW Police and other law enforcement agencies let his brother Mejid die. Picture: Supplied

Crime boss Bassam Hamzy has launched a multimillion-dollar legal case claiming police knew about an underworld plot to assassinate his brother, but did nothing to stop it.

The extraordinary case can be revealed after The Saturday Telegraph won a legal battle in the NSW Supreme Court this week to lift a suppression order placed on the details of Hamzy’s legal bid at the request of state government lawyers.

Mejid, a big-time drug supplier and senior lieutenant in Hamzy’s criminal operation, was gunned down by two assassins outside his Condell Park home on October 19, 2020.

The contract killing was one of the early flashpoints in the bloody gang war that has terrorised Sydney and seen more than 20 crime figures executed — often in highly populated areas with no regard for public safety.

Hamzy has now launched a negligence case in the Supreme Court, claiming NSW Police and other law enforcement agencies “had about seven days to warn Mejid Hamzy, but failed to do so” and let him die.

Bassam Hamzy wants you to compensate him over the death of his drug-dealing brother.

Mejid Hamzy was shot as he left his Condell Park home in 2020.

According to his statement of claim, Hamzy claims a senior detective received a tip-off from a NSW Crime Commission investigator about the plot to kill his older brother “about ten days before the murder”.

Hamzy claims the investigator told the detective “he had just received information from a (criminal informant)” who was incarcerated at Silverwater Prison “that Mejid Hamzy was to be murdered”.

Bassam Hamzy’s case outlined in his handwritten statement of claim. Picture: Supplied

The 46-year-old crime figure claims the investigator told the detective “the specifics” of the assassination plot and that “a contract on the life of Mejid Hamzy had been taken out”.

“No action was taken … to warn Mejid Hamzy (and he) was murdered shortly after this call took place,” Hamzy wrote in his statement.

“The defendants had about seven days to warn Mejid Hamzy but failed to do so.”

The underworld power player, who is serving 40 years for murder and running a criminal operation from inside Australia’s most secure prison, is now suing the state in civil court for alleged negligence and wants financial compensation.

NSW Police were approached for comment.

Hamzy has listed four defendants in the case: NSW Police, the NSW Crime Commission, the State of NSW and the state’s police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC).

He has asked for the state to “compensate” him and his family members in “an amount to be determined by the court”, court documents said.

The Supreme Court hears cases where the claim is potentially worth more than $750,000 — with no upper limit.

The bloody aftermath of Mejid Hamzy’s murder. He staggered away from his home and bled out on a nearby driveway. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Details of the explosive case can be revealed after a blanket suppression order was wound back following an application by barrister Matthew Lewis SC and News Corp lawyer Michael Cameron.

Hamzy has also asked for “public declaration” that the policing agencies failed to fulfil their duty “to protect life, prevent crime, (and) keep the peace … resulting in the death of Mejid Hamzy”.

The gag order was put in place on March 14, following an application by the government.

Hamzy also claims in the document that the alleged call between the detective and the investigator was recorded by the police watchdog.

“The phone call was lawfully intercepted by (LECC) and was listened to live,” he wrote.

He does not reveal how he claims to have become aware of the alleged call.

In court on May 9, Hamzy told Justice Tim Faulkner: “The information is in the community…because I have the information.”

Hamzy also added that the information was “not only in my hands”.

The case was lodged in the Supreme Court in November 2024.

Hamzy wrote the statement of claim with a pen in his cell at Goulburn’s Supermax Prison.

In the time since, he has attempted to expand the case to include eight members of Mejid’s family.

They include Mejid’s and Bassam’s mother, Lola, Mejid’s widow, Zawat Taha, and his children.

Their case was struck out for undisclosed reasons on May 9.

Outside court, their lawyer Zali Burrows said she was not in the matter when it was first lodged and is now investigating how to resubmit their case.

Mejid Hamzy’s 2012 mug shot.

Hamzy’s case against the state and law enforcement agencies has not been struck out. He is representing himself.

In 2002, Hamzy was jailed for 21 years for the 1998 shooting murder of Kris Toumazis outside the Mr Goodbar nightclub in Darlinghurst.

He used the time in jail to become one of Australia’s most influential criminal power players.

In 2008, authorities discovered Hamzy was running his criminal empire from inside Lithgow jail via a secret phone that made over 19,000 calls.

In the early 2010s, Hamzy founded the Brothers For Life criminal group (B4L), whose members were responsible for multiple murders.

Mejid was also known as a high-level operator in the Sydney drug trade.

After his death, Mejid’s estate agreed to forfeit $1.4 million in cash, property and other assets after authorities took legal action to force his family to prove his wealth was legally obtained.

Police also revealed they believed Mejid was one of the shooters who assassinated hit man Hamad “The Executioner” Assaad at the front door of his Georges Heights home in 2016.

The civil matter will return to court on May 27.