Lolo Liavaa sentenced for violent kidnapping, torture at Smithfield, Belmore

A money-hungry kidnapper likened the detention and torture of a man, who was held for ransom in Sydney for six violent days, to a “real-life” Grand Theft Auto mission.

A sledgehammer-wielding kidnapper treated the holding of a young man for a $5m ransom as a “mission” and a real-life version of a Grand Theft Auto video game designed to bolster his bank balance, a court has heard.

Lolo Liavaa was sentenced in December to eight-and-a-half years in jail for the brutal crimes, during which a group of men kidnapped the victim from his Smithfield home.

The victim was tied up and taken to Belmore, where he was subjected to horrifying “corporal punishment’’ that included offenders ripping out three of his teeth with pliers.

Agreed facts tendered to the NSW District Court reveal an aunt of Liavaa, 21, advised against offending in March 2023.

But the Rooty Hill man insisted he needed the money and went through with the crimes, during which the victim was mostly forced to wear a bloodied pillowcase over his head.

Lolo Liavaa likened his crimes to Grand Theft Auto.

“Coz I need money … But this is different. These are missions … I’m basically playing GTA real life’’,’’ the facts state Liavaa told his aunt.

“GTA is a reference to a video game called Grand Theft Auto.’’

Days before the ordeal, the court heard the captors believed they would get $75,000 each for carrying out the shocking home invasion against the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Over the Threema app, a reference was made to torturing the victim so the group could “get paid”.

“For example, an unknown user wrote ‘Make sure you tell team to be ready tomorrow … we’re gonna snatch the dog, torture the f--k out of him so we can get paid …. he’s cashed asf (sic) … big big coin … we’re getting paid $300,000 …$75k each,” the facts state.

While planning the horrific ordeal, Liavaa and others were instructed to zip tie the victim and “tape the dogs (sic) mouth so (he’s) not screaming like a dog”.

“(Don’t forget to cover his head)” the instruction continued.

“Pistol whip him hurt the dog but don’t kill him LOL.’’

An associate and Service NSW employee of accused kidnapper Esau Namoa allegedly provided him with details of the victim’s address using his Lexus number plate.

The friend also allegedly accessed records of the relative from whom the ransom was demanded, and listed his address as the Smithfield home where the kidnapping occurred.

The vacant home where the victim was detained for six days. Picture: Jonathan Ng

At 5.20am on March 9, 2023, Liavaa was among six men who forced their way into the house the victim shared with his partner and her family.

They threatened him with a pistol and sledgehammer and fractured another man’s arm during an assault before driving the victim to a vacant house on Canterbury Rd, Belmore, where he was held captive until his rescue on the evening of March 14.

“For the entirety of his detention, the victim remained in his underwear, his hands bound by zip ties, and his head fully secured in a bloodied pillowcase,’’ the facts state.

“He was fed minimal food and water over the six-day period.

“He was subject to extreme physical violence and threats, which were filmed and sent as part (of) their demands for ransom.’’

The victim was also interrogated about the wealth of a relative while being held at gunpoint.

“You have to know something,’’ one of the offenders said, according to the facts.

“Just give him up or we’re going to cut your fingers off.’’

The victim felt a blade running along his back while the offender said: “Feel how blunt that is? I’m gonna cut your fingers off. Don’t move. Tell me everything you know about (the wealthy relative).”

The man asked to pay the ransom wanted reassurance the victim was alive, prompting the kidnappers to send a picture of him with a pistol in his mouth, and a video with a demand.

“In 24 hours caught up 5mil plus all your work,” it said. “You will never see his face again”.

During a covert police operation, a partial ransom of $150,000 was dropped off inside a car at Bonnyrigg where Valali Tonga – “brazenly” holding the pistol – and another person collected the cash, which was never recovered.

Valali Tonga was the first person to be sentenced over the kidnapping. Picture: YouTube

While the Crown could not establish if Liavaa was at the house in 2023 when the victim’s teeth were removed, the court heard he aware that it happened and continued to participate in the criminal enterprise.

His game of Grand Theft Auto came to an end on March 14, 2023, about 9pm, when he was arrested on Lansdowne St in Parramatta while behind the wheel of a Ford Ranger with co-accused Kiteau Tatafu.

Police seized a grey balaclava, a pair of grey gloves, two knives, a baseball bat, a 9mm round of ammunition and three mobile phones from the vehicle. A blood swab found on the baseball bat matched the DNA profile of the victim.

Liavaa pleaded guilty to specially aggravated breaking and entering to commit a serious indictable offence, and taking or detaining in company with intent to hold for ransom.

He received a non-parole period of five years and four months, making him eligible for parole in July 2028.

Tonga previously received the same sentence after he pleaded guilty to breaking and entering to commit a serious indictable offence and taking or detaining in company with intent to hold for ransom.

Four other men - Tatafu, Namoa, Sunia Tu Ineau Junior Siasau and Viliami Siasau– have pleaded not guilty to kidnapping charges and are set to stand trial in October.

Originally published as Lolo Liavaa sentenced for violent kidnapping, torture at Smithfield, Belmore