Omar Tiba jailed for drug debt shooting at mosque

A man who says he shot his rival over a drug debt in the heat of the moment after staking out a Coburg mosque has been jailed for at least five years.

Omar Tiba, 31, has been sentenced to at least five years in prison for shooting a man at Coburg Mosque.

A man who shot a rival in the stomach and told him to “run you bastard” as he left a mosque in Melbourne’s north will spend at least five years ­behind bars.

Omar Tiba, 31, was sentenced to a maximum 7½ years’ prison for the April 2017 ­shooting, when he fired three shots at Mohammed Oueida.

The Supreme Court heard the daylight shooting, which left Mr Oueida fighting for life, was sparked by a drug debt and an earlier shooting, during which Tiba was targeted.

Tiba and his brother Osman had staked out the Coburg mosque on the afternoon of April 17 and, after seeing Mr Oueida and a group leaving, his brother drove the car towards the men as Tiba hung out the front passenger window and fired at least three shots at Mr Oueida.

A bullet hit Mr Oueida in the stomach and he ran into the mosque as Tiba cried: “Run you bastard son of a bitch.”

Mr Oueida was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery, during which a bullet was removed from his abdomen.

Justice Christopher Beale said without urgent medical treatment, Mr Oueida was likely to have died from his injuries.

Tiba pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, but argued that the shooting was in the heat of the moment and was not planned.

The court heard he had been in the habit of carrying a gun for self defence after he was shot three times in the leg a few months earlier by an ­associate of Mr Oueida.

“You say your impulsiveness got the better of you and you shot him,” Justice Beale said on Monday.

But the judge rejected Tiba’s submission, finding the attack was premeditated.

“I am far from satisfied the idea of shooting Oueida only entered your head when your brother drew up alongside him,” he said.

Tiba was also sentenced over an assault in the days ­before the mosque attack, during which he stole his victim’s gold iPhone, jewellery, cash and the BMW used in the shooting three days later.

He also pleaded guilty to punching a witness to the shooting inside a Broadmeadows pharmacy a month later.

The court heard Tiba had been suffering from a severe drug addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder, which stemmed from the attempt on his life in January 2017.

Justice Beale said he was not satisfied Tiba was remorseful for his actions, rather than just feeling sorry for himself.

Tiba, who was arrested in October 2017, will be eligible for parole in just over a year.