New claims about A Current Affair reporter Seb Costello’s toilet cubicle interview

A witness has revealed what he claims really happened when A Current Affair reporter Seb Costello interviewed a businessman in a women’s toilet cubicle.

New detail has emerged about A Current Affair reporter Seb Costello’s women’s toilet cubicle interview with a Melbourne businessman that landed him in court.

A witness to the interview has backed Mr Costello, who was accused in court documents of “pushing, shoving and tripping” businessman Mo Ahmed.

Mr Ahmed has taken Mr Costello to Victoria’s Supreme Court to stop footage of the interview from being broadcast.

He works for lending company Oak Capital, which has been accused of “unconscionable conduct” relating to $37 million worth of loans in a separate lawsuit filed in the Federal Court.

Seb Costello on A Current Affair.

Mo Ahmed of Oak Capital was filmed by A Current Affair while he was in the women's toilets at the Intercontinental Hotel in Collins Street, Melbourne. Picture: Supplied.

Peter Aquino, who lost 16 properties after he took out a $4 million loan with Oak Capital, was with Mr Costello when the footage was being filmed.

He has said, in comments made outside court, that Mr Costello had done nothing wrong.

Mr Aquino said he was asking the questions in the footage because he wanted answers as to why the company had taken his homes.

“Seb did nothing at all, the cameraman did nothing, they were courteous to Mr Ahmed trying to ask him some questions,” Mr Aquino said.

“Other than follow him into the toilets, we waited out the front for more than 10 minutes … they did nothing.”

The A Current Affair crew and Mr Aquino had been waiting at a cafe outside the Rialto tower in Collins Street Melbourne when they spotted Mr Ahmed.

They approached him with cameras rolling and he ran into the Intercontinental Hotel next door where he went into the women’s toilets.

Peter Aquino, of Construct Homes, says Seb Costello did nothing wrong when he doorstopped Mo Ahmed of Oak Capital. Picture: Stephen Drill

Seb Costello with Nick and Tonia Tetoros, owners of Fitness Ring Richmond.

Mr Aquino said he and the crew waited outside the women’s toilets and made sure no-one else was in there before they continued to approach Mr Ahmed.

Mr Aquino said he was trying to ask Mr Ahmed questions about his loan and why Oak Finance had not provided him with a statement about his loans.

“He refused to answer any questions. I walked up to him and introduced myself and his reaction was to run away,” Mr Aquino said.

Mr Ahmed was asked to comment on claims that Mr Costello did not assault him, as he alleged in his court claim last week.

He was also asked about claims from Mr Aquino that Oak Capital had “ruined lives” by their lending practices.

Mr Ahmed’s lawyers said: Mr Aquino is a party to current Supreme Court proceedings against Oak. As you are aware, the allegations of assault are the subject of separate (civil) proceedings involving Channel 9 which are also pending in the Supreme Court.

“In the circumstances, it is not appropriate for our clients to respond to Mr Aquino’s comments, and accordingly our clients make no further comment at this time.”

Sources claim that Nine and Mr Costello will be vindicated if the footage was ever made public. Picture: Tony Gough

However, in his court claim Mr Ahmed stated that Mr Costello had filmed him while he was in a closed toilet cubicle.

That was allegedly after “Mr Costello and the camera man physically shoving, pushing and/or tripping Mr Ahmed was an intentional or reckless application of force committed without Mr Ahmed’s consent or other lawful justification.”

Neither Mr Costello nor the cameraman is charged with any criminal wrongdoing. They have been stood down with pay.

Nine agreed to withhold publication of the footage following Mr Ahmed’s court application.

However, sources claim that Nine believes they will be vindicated if the material was ever made public.

Mr Aquino ran Construct Homes for two decades, building up a $25 million property portfolio, until he signed a loan agreement with Oak Capital.

He claims that he tried to cancel the deal but was forced to go ahead.

Mr Aquino has filed a lawsuit in the Victorian Supreme Court against Oak Capital, demanding a statement of his accounts, which he claimed he had not received despite repeated requests.

Mr Aquino’s case and the ASIC lawsuit against Oak Capital remain before the courts.