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Kensington shooting victim Ben Togiai’s funeral to be patrolled

Cops will patrol the funeral of Melbourne boxing shooting victim Ben Togiai, with one of the three men wanted by police in connection to the murder still on the run.

Two men arrested in Sydney over fatal Melbourne shooting

Police will patrol the funeral of fight-night murder victim Ben Togiai after a request from his former ­partner.

Two men have been arrested in Sydney and at least one other is on the run in connection with the killing outside a boxing event in Kensington on March 1.

Mr Togiai was among several Kingcon Construction workers shot outside the Melbourne Pavilion.

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Two men have been arrested in Sydney’s southwest following an interstate manhunt over a Melbourne shooting. Picture: NSW Police
Two men have been arrested in Sydney’s southwest following an interstate manhunt over a Melbourne shooting. Picture: NSW Police
They were arrested at an apartment block in Bankstown on Friday. Picture: NSW Police
They were arrested at an apartment block in Bankstown on Friday. Picture: NSW Police

Mr Togiai’s former partner Shae Mccoullough told the Sunday Herald Sun police had agreed to attend his funeral in Epping on Tuesday to eliminate potential threats.

“It’s likely his work mates will want to attend the funeral — I don’t know what will happen or if there’s a war going on,” she said.

Ben Togiai, 30, from Craigeburn, died after being shot outside Melbourne Pavilion.
Ben Togiai, 30, from Craigeburn, died after being shot outside Melbourne Pavilion.

“It seems the bullets were aimed at the group and Ben has been caught up in it,” she said.

“He would do anything for his friends. If his mate was in trouble, he’d be by their side.”

Last month, Kingcon’s Maribyrnong factory was set alight in an arson attack and there had been a drive-by shooting with possible links to the friction.

Police arrested Mikhael Myko, 25, and Abdullah El Nasher, 27, in Bankstown on Friday night.

El Nasher was stretchered from the scene after being hurt when he allegedly tried to jump from a balcony to escape.

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Victorian detectives will apply for their extradition to Melbourne in coming days.

A third man, El Nasher’s 28-year-old brother Ali, is still at large.

The arrest breakthrough came after Victoria Police’s Homicide Squad and the anti-gang Taskforce Echo requested help from the NSW Police Force’s Criminal Groups Squad after receiving information the trio may have fled interstate.

Police investigate after the shooting at Melbourne Pavilion. Picture: Lawrence Pinder
Police investigate after the shooting at Melbourne Pavilion. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Investigators are still trying to solve three other shooting murders that happened during a bloody four-day period.

Mitat Rasimi was killed in Dandenong on Sunday night in what is a suspected gangland ­killing.

On Monday night, Ali Ali, 28, and Deniz Hasan, 40, were fatally wounded in Meadow Heights in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

aneeka.simonis@news.com.au

@AneekaSimonis

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/kensington-shooting-victim-ben-togiais-funeral-to-be-patrolled/news-story/998072fe1a980a969d67c5ca9f869341