Coronavirus spread threat delays Fadi Ibrahim’s upcoming trial
He has been waiting for his day in court for almost two years on a charge of dealing with more than $1 million that police alleged was proceeds of crime. But Fadi Ibrahim will be forced to wait a little longer.
NSW
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Fadi Ibrahim’s much anticipated trial has been officially canned until next year thanks to the spreading coronavirus threat.
Ibrahim’s trial was set to kick off for an estimated eight weeks on June 1 in the Downing Centre District Court.
But that was never going to happen once the court announced the drastic measures it was taking to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Ibrahim has been charged with dealing with more than $1 million that was the proceeds of crime in relation to an international tobacco smuggling sting. He was arrested in Dubai in August 2017.
The matter was in court on Tuesday where Judge Christopher O’Brien vacated the mid-year trial date.
Instead Judge O’Brien listed the matter to stand trial in February 2021.
The judge asked the parties to check in with him on October 23 for a readiness hearing to ensure the trial will go ahead.
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The good news for Ibrahim is that he is on bail.
We can think of worse places to socially isolate than Ibrahim’s cliff-side pad in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
CORONA FREEDOM
A case that happened in the Supreme Court this week that has got the state’s remand prisoners running for the jail exits.
It relates to the case of Abdul Rakielbakhou who was granted bail on Monday, with the coronavirus threat playing a major part in his release.
Rakielbakhou’s lawyers Elias Matouk and Gigi Gabriel submitted to the court (via audio visual link) that he could be at risk of contracting the virus if kept behind bars.
His argument was that prisons are a highly susceptible environment where the virus would quickly spread if a case was diagnosed.
Justice Peter Hamill agreed with that and other related arguments and granted strict conditional bail.
The case has not gone unnoticed with sources saying it has resulted in a stack of accused criminals wanting their lawyers to make bail applications using the same arguments.
The written judgment has also been listed at the top of the NSW Public Defenders’ coronavirus section on its website for other lawyers to use as a guide on how to apply bail laws while the pandemic plays out.
Much like the spread of the virus, this could get out of control in a hurry.
RESHUFFLE
A reshuffle is on the cards for the police force top brass as some senior officers gear up for retirement.
Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb has been tapped on the shoulder to take over the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command later this year.
It will be the first time a woman has been appointed to the role.
Ms Webb is currently on the COVID-19 response team with Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys, the calmly-spoken and measured officer who stood beside RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons during the bushfire crisis, is also tipped to retire in the next 12 months.
The current THWP boss, highly-respected Assistant Commissioner Mick Corboy, is retiring mid-year after 39 years in the job.
MIC DROP
A Criminal Groups Squad detective showed us the power of the reply-all email recently.
On March 27, Detective Sergeant Neil Walker fired off a lengthy email with just the right amount of sting calling out his superior, Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow, over an outstanding $125 debt for the squad’s 2019 Christmas party.
He didn’t hold any punches, labelling his boss arrogant in the email sent to the entire squad.
Within hours the correspondence had been shared across most of the police force with officers delighting over the scandal and defiance.
While NSW Police claimed there would be “internal action”, Snitch understands Sgt Walker officially retired hours after sending the email.
That might explain the blaze of glory.
We hear Supt Critchlow replied all, referring to some recent personal costs but promising to fix the Criminal Groups Social Club up on payday.
Got a snitch? Contact
Ava.benny-morrison@news.com.au or Brenden.hills@news.com.au
Originally published as Coronavirus spread threat delays Fadi Ibrahim’s upcoming trial
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