‘New lease on life’ for former bikie acquitted of attempted murder

An ex-Finks bikie cleared of the attempted murder of a rival club member will walk free despite pleading guilty to other charges as his lawyer argued he has a new focus in life.

Sione Hokafonu’s lawyers say he has a ‘new lease on life’. Picture: Nicki Connolly

A former senior Finks bikie has a “new lease on life” prioritising his young family and work after he was acquitted of the attempted murder of a rival club member.

Sione Hokafonu, 29, once labelled the Finks’ world president, was last month found not guilty of the attempted murder of Mongol Rocco Curra, who was shot in the head and chest during an ambush in Bulleen in Melbourne’s northeast.

Mr Hokafonu appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday having pleaded guilty to drug, weapon and ammunition possession charges that resulted from the police investigation into Mr Curra’s shooting.

In arguing he did not deserve any more jail time, Mr Hokafonu’s lawyer, Daniel Georgiou, said his client had left the OMCG lifestyle behind and was working as a traffic controller following his acquittal.

“This whole process has refocused his mind on what’s important in his life,” Mr Georgiou said.

“His priorities are now being a husband to his wife, a father to his children, and throwing himself into work.”

“He has a new lease on life.”

Sione Hokafonu was last month found not guilty of the attempted murder of Mongol Rocco Curra. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Mr Georgiou added Mr Hokafonu, who has five young children, was on stress leave given the “rigours” of his Supreme Court trial.

Magistrate Brett Sonnet sentenced Mr Hokafonu to a year in jail — but with more than 18 months spent on remand for attempted murder, he will not spend further time behind bars.

He was also fined $250.

Fellow Fink Poiva Sita, who was also acquitted of Mr Curra’s attempted murder, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a pin to police.

He was handed a 12-month good behaviour bond and ordered to donate $250 to the Salvation Army.

The men were acquitted by a Supreme Court jury of Mr Curra’s attempted murder while Mr Sita’s brother Joseph Opapo was found not guilty on a lesser charge of intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence.

Poiva Sita was also acquitted of Mr Curra’s attempted murder. Picture: Luis Ascui

The trio denied any involvement, claiming police had the wrong men, and it took jurors less than three days of deliberations to acquit them.

The trial heard Mr Curra was lured to a suburban street, allegedly by a female associate of the Finks, with a fake Instagram account under the guise of a meet up in August 2019.

While waiting in his car outside, Mr Curra was ambushed by a silver BMW which pulled up in front and blocked his escape.

Security footage was played to the court showing two gunmen stepping out and spraying up to a dozen rounds into the windscreen before fleeing.

Mr Curra was struck by four rounds in the head and chest but survived.

Prosecutors alleged the revenge attack was part of a violent tit-for-tat between the Finks and Mongols which was sparked over a State-of-Origin pub fight four months earlier.