Toorak Village trader fight ends in charges over alleged kidnap and bashing plot
A WAR between two traders at an up-market shopping village has ended with one being arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap the other.
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A WAR between two traders at an up-market shopping village has ended with one being arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap the other.
Shadi Farah — who owns a cafe and fruit and vegetable store at Toorak Village — has been charged with conspiracy to kidnap and assault Nader Kajajo.
Mr Kajajo runs a barbershop in the same arcade at the popular centre.
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The Herald Sun can reveal Australian Federal Police swooped on Mr Farah on July 23 after they intercepted phone conversations of him allegedly concocting a plan to have Mr Kajajo abducted and beaten. Court documents show, in one conversation, the henchman Mr Farah is accused of getting to do his dirty work told him the job would be done and that Mr Kajajo “won’t be able to hold scissors in his hand any more” when he was finished with him.
The man, whose phone was being tapped by AFP officers investigating a separate matter, later allegedly agreed to fulfil the orders of Mr Farah by filming “the whole thing”.
“Make sure everything is done properly as we discussed,” Mr Farah was recorded saying. “Blindfolding and muffling and things like that and photos etc … so I can see for myself and my heart is cooled down.”
Prosecution evidence before the Supreme Court, where Mr Farah last month successfully applied to be freed on bail, shows text messages containing photos and videos of the intended target were exchanged between the men.
Justice Andrew Tinney, in his written reasons for giving Mr Farah bail, said there had been a falling out between Mr Farah and Mr Kajajo, but it was not known what over.
“The purpose of the kidnapping was to exact retribution against the victim for some reason by a physical assault of some sort,” Justice Tinney said.
“I saw no allegation of an intention to seek a ransom or gain some other advantage.”
The only hint of a motive during the tapped conversations was talk of a “machine” and questions around whether Mr Kajajo still had it.
The court heard the kidnapping had to be put on hold after concerned police visited Mr Farah and warned him they aware about the threats on May 9. On June 3, an intercepted call between Mr Farah and the strongman indicated the plan was back on track. But the plot never unfolded.
Mr Farah was also charged with firearms offences after police found two guns and ammunition in his Greenvale home on his arrest.
Mr Farah will return to court on November 20.