Abdullah El Nasher guilty of fatally shooting Ben Togiai at Melbourne boxing event
The family of Ben Togiai say they’ve waited years for “justice” as the man accused of his fatal shooting outside a Melbourne boxing event was found guilty of murder.
Police & Courts
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A heartbroken father whose son was shot dead outside a crowded Melbourne boxing event says he is grateful that the killer was convicted of murder.
Abdullah El Nasher, 32, was on Monday found guilty of the shooting murder of Ben Togiai outside a Big Time Boxing event at Melbourne Pavilion in Kensington.
Speaking outside the Supreme Court, Mr Togiai’s father Faatau said the verdict had lifted a burden off his wife’s shoulders.
“We’ve been waiting for this for four years now,” he said.
“We’re so overwhelmed with the result.”
Mr Togiai’s sister, Jolene, described her brother as someone who brought joy into every room and a good father to his young daughter.
“Even though this guilty verdict won’t bring Ben back, at least it’s some kind of justice for him,” she said.
“And his daughter will grow up knowing that her dad was a good man ... she misses him so incredibly much.”
El Nasher and his co-accused friend, Osamma Allouche, 28, were charged with Mr Togiai’s murder and the attempted murder of another man, Omar Bchinnati, who was shot in the leg.
The jury found El Nasher not guilty of the attempted murder charge, instead convicting him on a lesser charge of intentionally causing serious injury, while Mr Allouche was acquitted on all charges.
Mr Togiai’s family was seated in the public gallery and wiped back tears as the jury returned its verdict after deliberating for more than three days.
The month-long trial heard the men allegedly hatched a plan to kill or seriously injure another group of men at the March 2019 event as tensions rose throughout the evening.
El Nasher, his two older brothers, and other friends arrived at the venue about 8pm and were seated at table 28 while the other group, including Mr Togiai and Mr Bchinnati, were at table 64.
Witnesses noticed the tables arguing with El Nasher seen making a cutthroat gesture to the other group.
He turned off his phone or put it in aeroplane mode before using a friend’s to text Mr Allouche to come along.
“Melbourne Pavilion. 28,” he texted.
“Bring my little friend.”
El Nasher later went to his car and armed himself before returning a short time later carrying a black satchel.
He met Mr Allouche outside and the two men were seen coming and going from the venue multiple times.
El Nasher later took up position outside in preparation for the attack.
About 10pm, the two groups were escorted outside by security.
As they exited, El Nasher ran across the road, firing five rounds from a black pistol or a short handgun into the group from the other table.
Mr Togiai, 33, was struck by a single shot in the chest and died at the scene while Mr Bchinnati was shot in the thigh as he ran away.
Mr Allouche also fired a single round but it was aimed at the footpath.
The entire shooting lasted about 20 seconds and up to 40 people were outside at the time.
The jury was shown dashcam footage taken from a passing vehicle, showing a man running towards the venue before firing a volley of shots into a group of people.
The following day, El Nasher drove north with another man before he was arrested in Sydney on March 8.
Lawyers for the men argued they acted in self-defence.
Mr Allouche pleaded guilty to a single charge of a prohibited person using a firearm and was sentenced 12 months jail but with nearly four years spent behind bars on remand he was released on Monday afternoon.
Speaking outside of court, Mr Allouche said he was relieved to be free but maintained El Nasher was wrongly accused.
El Nasher will face a pre-sentence hearing at a later date.
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