Serial killer Abuzar Sultani gets letter of support from anti-violence advocate

Gangland hitman Abuzar Sultani had “good intentions” to start a call centre for troubled youth before he went on his bloody rampage, a court document claims.

Convicted hitman Abuzar Sultani, responsible for three gangland executions, wanted to start a call centre for troubled youth before he went on his bloody rampage, he told anti-violence campaign Ken Marslew.

Mr Marslew, who started the movement Enough is Enough after his teenage son Michael was murdered wrote a reference for the convicted triple killer who he met before the murders and was stunned when he was arrested.

“Firstly I know Abuzar Sultani as Adam Sultani,’’ he wrote in a letter submitted to the NSW Supreme court.

“‘I met Adam approximately 3 years before he was arrested on the matters before the court. Adam made me aware of his run-ins with the legal system as a younger man but indicated he had changed his behaviour,’’ the letter stated.

Ken Marslew (left) is an anti-violence campaigner who founded Enough is Enough after the murder of his son. Picture: Supplied

At 18 Sultani was jailed for nearly two years for his involvement in a failed attempt to steal an ATM machine from a shopping mall in Glenmore Park near Penrith. When he was arrested he owned a number of companies and businesses including a kebab shop in western Sydney.

Sultani pleaded guilty to the murders of Sydney mafia figure Pasquale Barbaro, 35, small time drug dealer Mehmet Yilmaz, 29, and Rebel bikie enforcer Michael “Ruthless”‘ Davey, 30. He was given three life sentences by Supreme court Judge Desmond Fagan on December 17 who said Sultani was a serial killer who showed no remorse.

Abuzar Sultani at the time of his arrest in 2016 for the murder of Pasquale Barbaro. Picture: Channel 7

“He regarded the murders as an achievement and he exulted in them. Nothing in the material presented on his behalf in the sentence proceedings demonstrates reform of these attitudes,” Judge Fagan said in sentencing.

Sultani was the leader of a crew of young men involved in crime. Three others, Siar Munshizada, 33, Joshua Baines, 29, and Mirwais Danishyar, 28, were also found guilty of being involved in the murder of Barbaro. Munshizada was also found guilty of the murders of Michael Davey and Mehmet Yilmaz.

At the time of his arrest in November 2016 Sultani was 27 years-old and doing his Masters in business administration at Macquarie University having already got a degree in accounting.

The court heard Sultani killed Barbaro because he organised the murder of his friend and mentor Joe Antoun three years earlier.

Sultani has been handed three life sentences for carrying out three gangland hits. Picture: Channel 7

Mr Marslew said he knew that Sultani had a business degree and was studying further.

“‘I was also aware of the distress the death of Joe Antoun caused him and we spent some time discussing grief and what it was like to lose someone close,’’ he said in his reference.

“‘Adam and I spoke about the strategies for dealing with youth at risk and how we might use his early experiences to encourage young people down a positive path.‘’

“‘He indicated when his business was reaching its potential he wanted to start a call centre where we could run programs for youth at risk. Adam also showed interest in our multicultural activities and attended at least one event. I believe Adam had a genuine desire to create a positive workplace and assist troubled youth.

“‘I was completely shocked when I found out that Adam had been arrested and what for. I do not in any way condone his current behaviour. I do think Adam had some good intentions but lost his way,’’ he finished his letter to the court.