Miguel, John Bolivar: Berwick man bashed, robbed in horrifying late night burglary
Acts of extreme violence carried out by a Colombian drug cartel led to the downfall of two burglar brothers, a court has heard.
South East
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Two brothers who played part in a shocking aggravated burglary in Berwick were exposed to unthinkable violence at the hands of an infamous drug cartel as children, a court has heard.
Johan Bolivar, 36 and Miguel Bolivar, 33, pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday over the brazen hit where a man was bashed and robbed in his home on April 6.
The court heard the Bolivars, along with a number of co-accused including Rawlin Laile who was armed with a crow bar, stormed the man’s property about 3am.
Miguel Bolivar wanted to speak with the victim as he believed the man knew someone who wanted to shoot him, the court heard.
The 33-year-old punched the victim in the face, before his brother and another co-accused joined in.
“Don’t f****** lie, I know the truth,” Miguel Bolivar yelled at the victim.
The court heard the victim was yanked by his hoodie — forcing his head to smash into a door frame — before Johan Bolivar attempted to choke him.
He was held down as Johan Bolivar and another co-accused tried to crack open his safe.
The thugs were unsuccessful in their attempt and made a getaway, leaving the man with head and face injuries along with abrasions, cuts and bruises.
Police swooped on Johan Bolivar as he drove unlicensed and outside the chief health officer’s COVID-19 curfew hours in Tynong on September 25, the court heard.
Johan’s lawyer Tom Battersby said the brothers were exposed to “senseless and brutal” acts of violence carried out by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel throughout their childhood in Colombia.
Mr Battersby said Johan Bolivar was 18 when his friend was shot dead at point blank range in the head by a member of the cartel as they ate food in the street.
The court heard the brothers also watched as their mother fell victim to a non-fatal shooting after refusing to buy a member of the cartel a packet of cigarettes.
Another harrowing tale included a high school grenade attack which left 16 of Johan Bolivar’s classmates injured.
The court heard the Bolivar’s followed their father to Australia for a “better life” in 2004, but struggled to fit in later years of high school due to their limited English skills.
Johan Bolivar, who had developed a cocaine addiction back in his home country at just 13, moved onto ice and GHB.
Mr Battersby said his client suffered from night terrors every night due to his childhood memories, with his screams recently fuelling a fight between other prisoners at the Melbourne Remand Centre.
“The vivid details, memories remain with him two decades later … he sees bodies of friends as if it happened yesterday,” Mr Battersby said.
“(The brothers’) early life has been characterised by deprivation and violence.”
Mr Battersby said his client had remained drug-free in custody and was motivated to stay clean upon his release.
Miguel Bolivar, who is on bail, appeared via video link from his home.
Magistrate Angela Bolger ordered the brothers be assessed for a community corrections order ahead of their sentence on April 16.
Miguel Bolivar was instructed to attend the hearing in person.
