Underworld heavyweight George Marrogi’s 30 year jail sentence over brazen execution

Feared underworld figure George Marrogi has been sentenced to more than three decades behind bars for the brazen execution of a drug rival.

Feared underworld heavyweight George Marrogi has been jailed for more than 30 years for the brazen execution of a drug rival during a bus-stop ambush.

After six years and four Supreme Court trials, Marrogi, 32, was convicted of the September 2016 murder of drug dealer Kadir Ors outside a Campbellfield shopping plaza.

Marrogi fired 13 shots at Ors in a daylight ambush, seven of which hit him in the back, buttocks and legs as he ran for his life.

Kadir Ors was shot dead in a daylight attack by George Marrogi.

Wearing gloves and a hoodie, Marrogi chased Ors, pumping bullets into the 24-year-old until he fell outside an Officeworks store.

Marrogi then ran back to his stolen Commodore and fired several more shots into Ors as he lay dying on the ground.

Ors was unarmed and had been lured to the bus stop for a meeting.

Supreme Court Justice Paul Coghlan ordered the Middle Eastern Crime figure serve at least 27 years behind bars for the violent and sustained attack on Ors.

It comes as the Herald Sun this week revealed the underworld kingpin was likely to soon be charged with conspiring to murder a close associate.

The stunning revelation followed Marrogi being charged with running his drug-trafficking empire from inside jail as a result of a major police sting.

The allegations are yet to be heard before a court and Justice Coghlan did not consider them as part of today’s sentence.

George Marrogi fired 13 shots during the brazen execution.

Justice Coghlan – who retired from the Supreme Court on Friday after more than 10 years on the bench and five decades practising law – said the public killing of Ors was “one of the most blatant examples of murders I have seen”.

“The chasing of another citizen in a suburban shopping centre in the middle of the afternoon while shooting with a handgun, and then returning to fire further shots in an area where members of the public are … has a high degree of lawlessness,” Justice Coghlan said.

Marrogi had maintained his innocence of the murder charge, arguing at all four trials he had not intended to kill Ors.

Justice Coghlan said Marrogi had shown no remorse and his criminal history was substantial.

He was sentenced as a serious violent offender and will spend a maximum of 32 years in prison.

George Marrogi had maintained his innocence over the murder charge.

Marrogi sat flanked by two security officers as he heard his sentence, dressed in a dark T-shirt and blazer.

Dozens of police and security guards waited outside as the hearing took place.

Marrogi frequently readjusted his N95 mask and stretched his neck from side to side during the hearing but did not display any outward emotion.

The prosecutor informed Justice Coghlan that Marrogi had directed a comment at the police informant as he was led from the courtroom following his sentence.

Exactly what Marrogi said was inaudible.

In determining sentence, Justice Coghlan said Marrogi’s conduct of returning to his car and continuing to blast Ors with bullets from behind the wheel was significant.

A typical cell inside Barwon Prison. Picture: Alison Wynd

“I am satisfied that firing 13 shots at an unarmed man speaks only of an intention to kill,” Justice Coghlan said.

Marrogi fled the scene and was pursued by Ors’ friends, who fired at his stolen Commodore, puncturing a tyre and forcing him to abandon the vehicle.

Detectives later found Marrogi’s DNA on scraps of cardboard from a box of ammunition found inside the car.

Jurors in Marrogi’s first trial in 2018 failed to reach a unanimous verdict while his next two trials saw the juries discharged without verdict because of various difficulties.

On December 15 last year, following a 16 day trial, Marrogi was convicted.