Gangland cop wins immunity in drug lord’s appeal

A gangland cop has been granted immunity over evidence he will give in a drug lord’s Lawyer X appeal case.

Fedele “Freddy the Bear” D’Amico was the target of an alleged assassination plot. Picture: Facebook

A high-ranking police officer has been granted immunity from criminal prosecution over evidence he will give in a drug lord’s Lawyer X appeal case.

Superintendent Jason Kelly, a witness in the appeal of major drug trafficker Rob Karam, became the first officer to request a “certificate’’ from Justice Robert Osborn during a Supreme Court proceeding on Thursday.

After being asked whether he had given a statement to the Lawyer X royal commission in 2019, Supt Kelly said: “I would like to object to answer that question on the grounds it could incriminate me.’’

Justice Osborn, after taking Supt Kelly through his options, granted him a certificate stating: “There are reasonable grounds for the objection and a realistic possibility the evidence may tend to incriminate him.”

Rob Karam outside the County court.

He stated the offence which may place Supt Kelly in jeopardy was perverting the course of justice.

Supt Kelly was directed to give his evidence by way of affidavit before the next hearing.

Victoria Police has also applied for a suppression order over parts of the case, particularly the investigation into the alleged mafia double-murder plot, which Supt Kelly investigated.

The perverting the course of justice implications for police surround their use of Nicola Gobbo, dubbed Lawyer X – an agent provocateur and femme fatale – to sting her clients.

Gobbo – who had been a registered police informer – acted for Karam while police attempted to crack an alleged conspiracy to assassinate Fedele “Freddy the Bear” D’Amico and another man.

The events that led to the alleged murder contract were triggered when Gobbo tipped the police to the massive ecstasy smuggling operation in 2007.

After federal police seized 4.4 tonne of ecstasy hidden in 3000 tomato tins in Melbourne’s port, members of the syndicate were forced to scramble to organise more drug importations to cover the loss.

The tomato tins ecstasy bust.

Karam has served about a decade of his 37-year jail sentence over the tomato tin bust.

The chaos led to infighting, with members alleged to have plotted to kill those they suspected of betraying them.

The “vengeance’’ plots to kill D’Amico and the other man were allegedly planned on three different occasions, according to police: at a kickboxing tournament at Docklands in Melbourne on March 28, 2008, the following night at Mick Gatto’s son’s wedding also at Docklands, in which D’Amico was again the target, and the Reggio Calabria Club in Parkville on July 24, 2008.

The Australian Federal Police managed to thwart the hits.

Although charges were laid over the conspiracy to murder plot, no convictions were landed.

Karam, who has served about a decade of his 37-year jail sentence – is seeking to quash his multiple convictions and walk out of jail.

His appeal case will resume at a later date.

Meanwhile, a special investigator to probe whether any criminal charges should be laid over the Lawyer X saga will be announced this month.

Dozens of police, former officers, and Gobbo, were hauled before the Lawyer X Royal Commission, which ran from 2019 to 2020.