NSW Supreme Court grants bail to alleged underworld killer Ayman Manly

Alleged “love triangle” murderer Ayman Manly has returned to the community on strict conditional bail after a friend staked an eye-watering seven-figure sum to secure his figure’s release.

Ayman Manly pictured during a raid on a home at Drummoyne in December 2023. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Alleged “love triangle” murderer Ayman Manly has been granted bail by the NSW Supreme Court after a friend staked $5m to secure his release.

Manly has been behind bars on remand since his arrest in September over allegations he fatally shot Mohammad ‘Walter’ Chami in Holroyd in 2022 after Chami accused him of sleeping with his sex-worker wife Erika Alejandra Poveda-Pineda.

However, the 41-year-old walked out of a Sydney prison last week just in time for Christmas thanks, in part, to the generosity of property developer and former private investigator, Allan Chrara. Mr Chrara, one of Manly’s long-time friends, provided an affidavit to the court in which he agreed to lodge a $5m surety over property he owned in order to secure Manly’s release from custody.

He also agreed to have Manly stay with him under house arrest conditions at his six-bedroom home in Sydney’s north-west, which records show last sold a decade ago for $2.1m.

Ayman Manly. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Mohammad Chami. Picture: 7 News

An online real estate listing reveals the home is decked out with a luxury plunge pool and has sweeping views towards the Blue Mountains, although Manly is only permitted to leave the boundaries of the property when he is reporting twice daily to the police station or attending medical or legal appointments.

Even then, he must be accompanied at all times by his partner, or Mr Chrara, and his movements will be tracked around the clock by an electronic ankle bracelet.

The Supreme Court heard the rest of Manly’s days would be consumed by catching up on paperwork in his role as the operations manager for Newtown brothel Mystiques – the same place where he met Ms Poveda-Pineda.

According to documents tendered to the court, Ms Poveda-Pineda was working at Mystiques when she and Chami – a feared underworld enforcer – wed in an Islamic ceremony in January 2021, shortly after he was released from custody.

Police examining the scene where Chami’s body was found. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Chami returned to jail on fresh charges in April that year, at which time his wife allegedly became intimately involved with Manly and another man.

According to court documents, Chami was released from custody in September and became “convinced” Ms Poveda-Pineda was still sleeping with Manly after hearing she’d been seen “associating with a male in a white Lamborghini” — the same type of car police say Manly was known to regularly drive.

Chami tried to confront Manly at Mystiques in February 2022, court documents state, but he wasn’t at the premises, leading Chami to send a series of threatening messages before suggesting they meet for a “fist fight” to sort out their differences.

“Now straight up we have to have a crack one-on-one then I’ll leave at that … one way or another it’s gotta happen so up to you let’s make it quick and quite (sic) or make it hard and slow,” Chami wrote.

One planned meeting on March 2 didn’t eventuate when Chami failed to show up, however police allege another was organised for the following night.

Police allege Manly shot Chami dead in the suburban street. Picture: Tim Hunter.

It is alleged Chami had an associate drive him to Fox Street in Holroyd just before midnight on March 3.

The associate told police Chami handed him a knife and told him to “watch (his) back” before he saw two men — both wearing dark clothes and Covid masks — emerge from an underpass at the end of the street.

As Chami walked towards the men, he allegedly said “let’s go c**t”, at which point the “shorter” of the pair, who police allege is Manly, pulled out a gun and “held it on its side” before shooting Chami dead.

The associate was shot in the buttock as he tried to flee, the court heard.

In seeking bail, Manly’s legal team argued the case against him was weak, saying it hinged on whether police could prove Manly was the man behind the messages sent to Chami.

Justice Richard Weinstein said the case appeared “viable at the very least” but agreed to grant bail on the strength of the proposed conditions.

Manly, who is yet to enter pleas to charges of murder and shoot with intent to murder, will return to court early next year.