Underworld figure’s son kicked out of Love Machine hours before before shooting
The son of underworld figure Nabil Maghnie was from booted from the Love Machine nightclub just hours before there was a fatal drive-by shooting at the venue.
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The eviction of the son of underworld figure Nabil Maghnie’s from the Love Machine nightclub just hours before there was a fatal drive-by shooting is emerging as a key police inquiry into the attack.
The Herald Sun can reveal Ali Maghnie was turfed from the Prahran club in the early hours of April 14.
After his eviction he went straight to his father’s Docklands apartment, it is alleged where he met Moussa Hamka, who police say disposed of the murder weapon used in the double shooting — a .32 Calibre pistol.
Maghnie’s other son Jacob Elliott who has been charged with two counts of murder over the nightclub shooting was also staying at his father’s docklands apartment at about the time of the shooting.
Another man, Allan Farres, has also been charged with the alleged murders of security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani and patron Richard Arow.
Court documents released to the Herald Sun reveal Mr Hamka, 25, travelled by Uber to meet Ali Maghnie at Nabil’s apartment where the young men stayed for about half an hour before going their separate ways.
Just 45 minutes later, shots were fired from a car into the club killing security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani and patron Richard Arow.
Ali Maghnie was set to be forced to give evidence at a compulsory court hearing last month, but the application was withdrawn at the eleventh hour.
Homicide detectives allege Mr Hamka, 25, hid the murder weapon — inside a pair of tracksuit pants at his Epping home.
They do not allege he had any involvement or was present at the time of the shootings.
During Mr Hamka’s successful bail application in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday, the court heard police were tipped off by his ex-girlfriend after she claimed he threatened her and her family with two guns.
Detective Sergeant Mick Drew said the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police Mr Hamka had threatened her with a “shiny silver handgun” and later sent her 13-year-old sister a Snapchat photo depicting his hand and a small, old-fashioned brown handgun.
The caption on the photo read: “wish me luck”, court documents obtained by the Herald Sun reveal.
Charges were laid against Mr Hamka over the threats but were later withdrawn by the woman and prosecutors did not have any other evidence to support her claims, the court heard.
Prosecutors told the court Mr Hamka’s DNA was found on the silver firearm which ballistic experts linked to the nightclub shooting.
In a police interview, he said he found the gun after receiving an anonymous text on the messaging app Wickr, telling him to drive to a Fawkner park and dig up an item buried under a children’s slide.
Mr Hamka said he did so after being promised money in exchange for retrieving what he thought would be drugs or cash.
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He told investigators he later unwrapped the parcel and realised it was an unloaded gun, which he hid in his bedroom.
In granting bail, Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg said Mr Hamka’s charges meant he had a prima face right to bail and had no prior convictions.
His sister, who was in court, offered up a $50,000 surety.
Mr Hamka will return to court in November to face charges of accessory to murder and prohibited person posses a firearm.