Penisimani Ahokava: Brother of man shot by police jailed

The brother of a driver shot dead by police in Melbourne has been jailed over a high-speed chase across the western suburbs.

The brother of a young driver shot dead after ramming a stolen van into a policeman has been jailed after assaulting two cops, leaving one with a serious injury.

Penisimani Ahokava faced Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on Friday via videolink from Ravenhall Corrections Centre where he’s been held on remand since his arrest on April 29.

The court heard he had been wanted on a string of charges including the burglary of an aged care home in Altona Meadows and a Big W where he stole $11,200 of electronic goods early last year.

He was spotted by police riding a stolen bike with false plates on the streets of Cairnlea and took off “recklessly” when they tried to pull him over.

The high speed chase ended when Ahokava rear ended a parked car outside the Cairnlea Community Centre.

Despite a fractured collarbone and injured hand, he ran off and assaulted an officer when they caught up with him.

He was found to have a machete in his possession and was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery.

Sentencing Ahokava on charges including assaulting an emergency worker, recklessly causing injury, dangerous driving and burglary offences, magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said he was lucky to be alive.

“You were very, very lucky you got away with the injuries you did and that you didn‘t kill someone,” she said.

“There are many forms of offending before me and they’re all serious. I’ve got to send you a message to make sure you don‘t commit these again.”

Kuela Ahokava was shot dead by a police officer in Tullamarine in 2016.

Ahokava was jailed for 10 months, fined $1500 and placed on a 12-month community-based order once released.

Ahokava’s brother Kuela Ahokava was killed in 2016 after a police chase which began in Werribee and ended in Tullamarine.

A sergeant pulled his gun and shot the then 23-year-old who had just pinned him against a factory brick wall by ramming a stolen van into the officer.

Ms Mykytowycz said she understood the incident had created trauma for Ahkova and his whole family but he needed to learn violence against police officers was “abhorrent”.

“Moving forward you have to learn to interact with them like any member of the community,” she said.

“The courts must send a message that we denounce any type of violence against police officers especially now where they’re doing so much for the community on the front lines of Covid.”

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