Group sentenced for bashing man mistakenly believed to be cocaine dealer, threatening to ‘put a bullet’ in partner’s head

A court heard the astonishing reason a group of men bashed a man with a wrench before threatening to put a bullet in his partner’s head.

A couple were threatened with a gun during a terrifying early-morning home invasion. Picture: District Court of South Australia

An Adelaide man mistaken for a drug dealer was left “bleeding profusely” and in fear for his life when a trio broke into his house and bashed him with a wrench during a terrifying early morning home invasion.

The intruders also held a gun to his partner’s head, and one told him: “if you don’t tell me where the cocaine is I’ll put a bullet in her head”.

The men – Maxwell Samuel Kaba, 19, and brothers Shaho and Peshtiwan Rezayi, 23 and 18 – have each been jailed over the incident at Oaklands Park in the city’s southern suburbs.

Sentencing the group in the District Court, Judge Ian Press said the victims were asleep at home when they were woken by loud banging at the door about 4.30am on February 10 this year.

“The three of you targeted their premises on the basis of an erroneous belief that the occupants of that house were in possession of significant amounts of cocaine,” he said.

One of the three men was kicking at the door in a “martial arts style”, and they eventually broke in and began to bash the man inside with a wrench.

“You, Shaho, stated that you were there for the cocaine and, when (the victim) denied any knowledge of cocaine or drugs, you again struck him to the head with the wrench,” Judge Press said.

“He was clearly defenceless and already injured at this point … his head was bleeding profusely.”

The three men fled the scene but their car was quickly stopped by police. Picture: District Court of South Australia

Cash was found on the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Picture: District Court of South Australia

The man was hit with a large wrench during the home invasion. He was left “bleeding profusely”. Picture: District Court of South Australia

One of the men searched the house, while the other two threatened him and pointed a gun “directly at his head”.

The judge said the victim’s partner was instructed by the group to sit down on the couch.

Kaba asked the man who the woman was and, upon being told she was his wife, he pointed the gun at her and said “if you don’t tell me where the cocaine is I will put a bullet in her head”, sentencing remarks said.

The men left the home with various personal cards and a bag containing prescription medication, and were stopped and arrested by police minutes later.

Items belonging to the victims were found in their car, and knuckledusters were found inside Peshtiwan Rezayi’s underwear.

The man later told the media he had recently received a liver transplant, and a letter from the family of his donor had been stolen.

Prescription medication was among the items stolen from the home. Picture: District Court of South Australia

A tyre lever was also found in the car. Picture: District Court of South Australia

Judge Press said the ordeal has had devastating consequences for the couple.

“Both the victims understandably feared they were about to be killed,” he said.

“To be woken in the middle of the night by armed men and then subjected to your calculated violence must have been terrifying for them.

“To say your offending has changed their lives does not do justice to the nature of the impact your behaviour has had upon them.”

The court heard Kaba and Shaho Rezayi were motivated by drug debts, and Peshtiwan Rezayi tried to talk his brother out of committing the crime, then accompanied him “out of concern”.

The men each pleaded guilty to a number of offences including aggravated serious criminal trespass, aggravated assault and aggravated theft.

Kaba was sentenced to three years, two months behind bars, with a non-parole period of one year, seven months.

Shaho Rezayi was jailed for three years, two months, with a non-parole period of one year, nine months, while his brother was handed a sentence of two years, 10 months, with a non-parole period of one year, four months.

The sentences were backdated to February, when the men were taken into custody.