Mokbel minion Zlate Cvetanovski hopes to walk free over Lawyer X
A jailed Tony Mokbel minion is a step closer to freedom, after arguing his criminal trial was tainted by a key witness who conspired with Lawyer X.
Police & Courts
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A minion in Tony Mokbel’s drug empire is one step closer to freedom after prosecutors conceded his chances of winning his appeal were “not hopeless”.
Zlate Cvetanovski, a money man and commercial drug trafficker for Mokbel, appeared via video link in the Court of Appeal today to apply for bail just months out from finishing his minimum 11 year prison sentence for drug trafficking.
Cvetanovski is one of several jailed Melbourne underworld players fighting to have their convictions quashed due to the involvement of barrister turned police informer Nicola Gobbo.
He has argued his trial was tainted by a key witness who conspired with Gobbo, since dubbed Lawyer X, to make statements against him.
Crown prosecutor Brendan Kissane QC, said the testimony of the witness, who cannot be named, was “certainly critical” to the trial and accepted Cvetanovski “does have an argument” in relation to parts of his appeal case.
“We are ultimately saying these arguments are thin. If the court accepts them, then exceptional circumstances have been made out,” Mr Kissane said.
Barrister Julie Condon QC, for Cvetanovski, said her client’s appeal case was “far advanced” and based on evidence and material that had been disclosed – as recently as this week – he had real prospects of succeeding.
“(The witness’) evidence was described as pivotal by the trial judge … the case quite clearly stood or fell on (their) word,” Ms Condon said.
Cvetanovski has served almost a decade behind bars after he was arrested by gangland detectives on multiple occasions between April, 2006 and February, 2009 following intel provided by Gobbo which helped locate clandestine drug laboratories the Mokbel gang ran in Strathmore and Preston.
He is due for release on parole in August.
Chief Justice Chris Maxwell said exceptional circumstances in which to grant bail can be made out in cases where the offender’s custodial sentence was about to expire and they face the prospect of serving additional time.
“As long as it’s not fanciful, then the argument for injustice seems to be quite powerful,” Justice Maxwell said.
Justice Mark Weinberg agreed, saying Cvetanovski had served most of his non-parole period and now “he appears to have some very serious issues he wishes to ventilate,”
“The prospect of him serving more time than he otherwise would have to, is that not exceptional?” Justice Weingberg said.
The court heard Cvetanovski’s ex-wife has offered a surety of almost half a million dollars.
The Court will hand down its decision on bail on Tuesday.
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