Murder accused grilled by witness about teen’s death

One of 12 men accused of murdering a teenager admitted his role in the killing during a phone call after a violent ambush in a park, a judge has heard.

Rami Joseph Eresto was part of a group of young people drinking and hanging out at a baseball pitch in a park in the northern Brisbane suburb of Zillmere at 5pm on September 13, 2020 when they were attacked by a number of armed men.

Girum Mekonnen, 19, died from a 25 centimetre-deep stab wound allegedly inflicted during the attack and 10 people were injured, including Eresto’s brother.

Eresto appeared as a witness on Thursday in the Brisbane Supreme Court for the judge-only trial of the 12 defendants, who have all pleaded not guilty to murder as well as assault and wounding offences.

He told Justice Lincoln Crowley he had up to four beers at the park before he heard a female friend yell out a warning.

“We saw people surrounding us on both sides ... They were swinging their knives and machetes and bats and whatnot. They were gutless,” Eresto said.

The defendants are Kresto Wal Wal, 28, Gabreal Wal Wal, 31, Santo Wal, 36, Yohana Wal Wal, 23, Joseph Lokolong, 28, Majok Riel Majok, 23, Alex Edward Deng, 22, Chan Kuchmol Kon, 28, Abraham Ajang Yaak, 30, Ben Abio, 23, Juma Makuol Deng Makuol, 27, and Malat Akoi Makuach, 25.

Eresto said he recognised Kresto Wal Wal as he was not wearing a mask and he recognised the gap in his teeth.

“He was holding a baseball bat over shoulder, looking me dead in the eyes and smiling,” Eresto said.

Eresto said he saw members of his group being stabbed and hit by baseball bats then saw one of his friends trying to help Mekonnen, who had collapsed, by trying to stop his profuse bleeding.

Eresto said he later used his phone to call Kresto Wal Wal’s brother and co-accused, Santo Wal, and told him: “My friend died. Why did your brothers do that?”

Mr Mekonnen was remembered as a “sweet, kind boy”.Credit: Facebook

According to Eresto’s evidence, Santo Wal responded: “That’s what happens when you hurt someone’s family”.

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane previously told Justice Crowley that the park attack was retaliation for the brother of four of the defendants, John Wal, being severely bashed five days earlier.

Eresto said he told Santo Wal that John Wal’s bashing had nothing to do with his group.

Under cross-examination by barrister Scott Lynch, acting for Kresto Wal Wal, Eresto said his identification of the defendant was correct despite not mentioning the name in his statements to police.

He also denied a suggestion that during his phone call, Santo Wal had asked him “what has this got to do with me?”

Zaki Younis Adwanga testified that defendant Makuol had thrown a knife at him but it missed his head.

Adwanga said he knew “100 per cent” that Makuol had tried to attack him, during cross-examination about apparent contradictions with his prior statement to police.

AAP