Police intelligence for Adelaide’s 051 and Killa Block Squad gang wars is weak, court told during Deng Atem Machok bail hearing

Police intelligence about two gangs allegedly warring on Adelaide’s streets – resulting in at least one death – is “insufficient”, a court has heard.

Two gangs allegedly warring on the streets of Adelaide – leading to at least one death and dozens of arrests – do not exist on the current intelligence from police, a barrister has said.

On Friday, Deng Atem Machok, accused of attempting to murder a man during a stabbing on Hindley St, had his application for bail refused.

Patrick Dawes, for Mr Machok, criticised an affidavit prepared by police outlining their intelligence on 051 and Killa Block Squad – two gangs the subject of a specialist police operation for two years.

He said that unlike detailed evidence on outlaw motorcycle gangs typically provided to the court, detailing 60 years of history of the organisations, there was barely two years of intelligence on 051 and KBS.

“I would have objected to the document being provided to the court,” Mr Dawes said.

“There is insufficient evidence, on my submission, to prove the existence of so-called gang 051 or so-called gang KBS.

“There is no evidence capable of supporting that Mr Machok is a member of KBS.

“There is no evidence to prove that the alleged victim in this matter was the member of a rival gang.”

Operation Meld has targeted the activities of several youth gangs allegedly operating in Adelaide. Artwork: Steven Grice,

Mr Dawes said police concluded Mr Machok was a gang member because of whom he was associating with – but pointed out one of those alleged gang members was his client’s cousin.

“It is a very difficult time for young African men to apply for bail and be contesting charges if they are all going to be lumped into the category of being in either KBS or 051 with scant further detail than they are Sudanese and in company with other Sudanese men,” he said.

“We wouldn’t apply that criteria to people of other races and it is important that if bail is going to be opposed on the grounds of gang membership, then this needs to be proved, not there be a sense or suspicion.”

Operation Meld, a large-scale police initiative, has been targeting the two gangs alleged to be responsible for a string of violent incidents culminating in the stabbing death of Ngor Bol in April last year.

Georgina Venn, prosecuting, said even if the evidence on gang membership was not accepted by the court, the allegations against Mr Machok were serious enough to warrant a refusal of bail.

Mr Machok is alleged to have been part of a group involved in an altercation with a second group of young men on Hindley St in the early hours of January 30, 2022.

The groups moved into an alley off the party strip to allegedly settle their differences.

Security cameras in the alley filmed a man walk up to the victim, who was distracted and intoxicated, and stab him twice to the chest.

The knife punctured the victim’s heart and he required open heart surgery to save his life.

Mr Machok, who is alleged to be the stabber, was arrested 10 days later hiding under a blanket in an associate’s house.

He has remained in custody for more than 12 months and is likely to stand trial later this year.

Justice McDonald refused to grant bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations.

Originally published as Police intelligence for Adelaide’s 051 and Killa Block Squad gang wars is weak, court told during Deng Atem Machok bail hearing