Murat Shomshe released on bail to marry, then flees
UPDATE: A FUGITIVE who allegedly gave his new wife the slip while on bail was sighted by police the morning he was due to face court.
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UPDATE: A FUGITIVE who allegedly gave his new wife the slip while on bail was sighted by police the morning he was due to face court.
Detective Sen Sgt David Snare said officers checked on Murat Shomshe early on July 27 at an unspecified home address.
The visit was part of a compliance check conducted before 6am.
The detail comes as the Fugitive Taskforce takes over the hunt for the 33-year-old.
“We would make an appeal for Mr Shomshe to contact police and to surrender himself,” Sen Sgt Snare said.
Friends or relatives who had information were urged to contact police as was any members of the public who saw him.
It was “obviously” a concern the fugitive would try to flee the country but as yet too early to predict.
Asked if it was the honeymoon authorities had expected Sen Sgt Snare said: “ I’m not aware of the circumstances of either the wedding or the honeymoon.”
Sen Sgt Snare wouldn’t comment on whether police were frustrated Shomshe had been released on bail to get married, saying he wasn’t at the hearing.
He had been held at Barwon Prison before being moved to Port Phillip.
Shomshe is known to frequent the Epping, Altona, Coburg and Werribee areas.
There had been no reported sightings of him.
Prosecutors today flagged making an application to vacate Shomshe’s County Court trial that was listed to start today.
But Judge Mark Taft said he would adjourn the trial until tomorrow because if apprehended, the case could proceed.
The court heard a female co-accused who was on bail was arrested and remanded in custody last week after being charged with fresh offences.
The woman his facing new fraud charges and was refused bail at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday.
The County Court heard today there would be an application to sever the trials of Shomshe and his co-accused.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton today told 3AW that Shomshe was evaluated as being of “some risk”.
He said a detailed plan was needed to apprehend Shomshe.
“Some of the people he’s associating with seem to connect him to bikies,” Mr Ashton said.
“We did object to the bail. We have to accept the umpire’s decision and get on with it.”
County Court judge Richard Maidment acknowledged concerns when considering the man’s release.
“I think I’d be inclined on conditions to grant him bail over the weekend, but expect him to surrender into custody again on the Monday morning.”
Opposing his unusual release, police cited concerns Shomshe posed an unacceptable risk of interfering with witnesses.
Shomshe was bailed the day before his wedding and was ordered to face court two days later so he could be taken back into custody.
Instead, Shomshe is understood to have done a runner while his new wife was in the shower getting ready for that court appearance.
But police agreed to a strict set of bail conditions, including a surety, reporting to police, and a midnight curfew after Judge Maidment flagged his intention.
Police Association boss Sen-Sgt Ron Iddles today said the decision to grant Shomshe bail “raises more questions than answers”.
“The tough job our members do is tougher,” he told 3AW.
“They’ve now go to go out and find this person and maybe put themselves at risk.”
Sen-Sgt Iddles said allowing Shomshe to go to his own wedding didn’t meet the criteria for bail.
“He’s probably on his honeymoon somewhere now without his wife,” he said.
“Our members will find him ... hopefully they do it safely.”