Arsonist Murat Shomshe lied to court about family situation

A Finks bikie who made headlines as the “runaway groom” paid a Templestowe man $2k to firebomb tobacco stores before getting his partner to lie in court about his violent childhood.

A Finks bikie dubbed the “runaway groom” for skipping bail after his wedding paid a Templestowe man $2000 to firebomb tobacco stores across Victoria, a court has heard.

Murat Shomshe was caught lying to court again — this time while in custody from where he called his partner and encouraged her to support his claims about his family situation, including seeing his twin brother — who turned out to be make believe — being shot dead.

He was sentenced in the County Court on Friday to a minimum of two years and 11 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to charges of arson and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Shomshe, 43, from Werribee, made headlines in 2015 as the “runaway groom” who told a court he needed bail to attend his wedding, and then went on the run for a week.

Murat Shomshe paid a Templestowe man $2000 to firebomb two business premises in Altona.

The court heard on Friday that Shomshe paid ex-Finks bikie Stan Zanakas $2000 to carry out the firebombings at Wolf Cafe and Freechoice Tobacconist in Altona in January 2024.

Zanakas was sentenced in March to a minimum of two years’ jail for the arson attacks.

Judge Peter Lauritsen said Shomshe told a psychologist that he did not fully understand the legal implications of his actions, particularly the charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He said given Shomshe’s priors and his lies to court, his prospects of rehabilitation were “most uncertain”.

Shomshe told consultant psychologist Dr Luke Armstrong in October 2024 that his father took him and his family to Kosovo for a long holiday and spent about five years there.

He claimed that when he was 12, he stopped attending school after it was bombed and that he witnessed his twin brother being shot dead by paramilitary police.

Groom Murat Shomshe went on the run while his bride Belinda Dulevski was in the shower in 2015.

Shomshe said he developed PTSD following the family tragedy and used drugs as a coping mechanism which ultimately led to his latest offending.

He called Ms Adal from prison and asked her to impersonate his sister and support what he told Dr Armstrong who may contact her to verify the information. Ms Adal allegedly did as she was told and will front court in August for her alleged offending.

Investigations revealed Shomshe was out of Australia for just over two weeks in July 1995, not five years as he claimed to Dr Armstrong.

Investigations also revealed that he neither had a twin brother or an older male sibling.

Shomshe was sentenced to a maximum term of four years and four months’ imprisonment.