What cops found on alleged would-be assassin’s phone

Two men who allegedly conspired to kill infamous night-life figure John Ibrahim likely lie in wait outside his home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs before the brazen failed hit, a court has been told.

Youssef Zrayka, 21, appeared before Sydney’s Supreme Court on Tuesday as he made a bid for release over allegations he was the getaway driver in a failed attempted hit on the King Cross icon.

Police allege Mr Zrayka was behind the wheel when his co-accused, Siaosi Maeakafa Tupoulahi, 24, pointed a Glock pistol at a woman who was driving her young child on July 25, 2024.

It is alleged the pair mistakenly targeted the black Range Rover, believing it to be carrying Mr Ibrahim, who lived nearby, with a pursuit allegedly ensuing before the duo were ultimately arrested.

Mr Zrayka and Mr Tupoulahi were charged with a conspiracy to murder Mr Ibrahim, possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, and take and drive conveyance without consent of owner.

In making a bid for Mr Zrayka’s release, solicitor Ertunc Ozen SC said the Crown would have to prove the plan was to kill the night-life kingpin and not to commit another albeit serious offence.

“The facts show these two were not in the area for innocent purposes … but the body of evidence establishes no more than an offence, which could be one of many,” Mr Ozen told the court.

“The Crown will have to establish these two people were part of an established plan to commit a murder of Mr Ibrahim, not a carjacking or extortion, or issuing a threat of some kind.”

Mr Ozen added it was “highly unlikely” the pair, having likely allegedly acted on the directions of another unnamed person or persons to kill Mr Ibrahim, mistakenly targeted the wrong vehicle.

“The target is a well-known male whose image is all over the media,” he said.

“It is scarcely believable two people who planned to kill him had missed the fact the driver is not a middle-aged man but a woman with a child who they (Mr Tupoulahi) point a gun at.

“Therefore, the Crown could not exclude these other very serious alternative hypothesis, which are something other than a conspiracy to kill Mr Ibrahim”, Mr Ozen added, noting Mr Ibrahim was a “notoriously wealthy person”.

The court was told investigations into the incident were ongoing and police were yet to ascertain whether the black Range Rover had left Mr Ibrahim’s residence or was just in the vicinity.

A phone was also allegedly located within the vehicle that contained Mr Ibrahim’s address, though to whom the phone belonged had not yet been determined by investigators, the court was told.

Mr Zrayka had also been given a non-conviction conditional release order by a court after he was found with $45,000 in cash strapped with tape after returning from Tasmania.

In opposing bail, the Crown prosecutor argued that with two loaded weapons in the car – a chambered Glock pistol and a revolver – the only inference was they intended to kill Mr Ibrahim.

Justice Mark Ierace dismissed the application for Mr Zrayka’s release “due to the “unacceptable risks” he might endanger the community and fail to appear before court.

“In my view the possession of the firearms, both loaded, indicates a willingness to discharge the firearms in that area,” he told the court.

The court was told police allege Mr Zrayka drove past Mr Ibrahim’s Dover Heights home before parking down the street shortly after 7am and lying in weight with the co-accused.

While watching the home, police allege the pair spotted a black Range Rover matching the description of Mr Ibrahim’s vehicle, with Mr Zrayka pulling the car into the middle of the street.

Mr Tupoulahi is alleged to have swung open the back door before realising the vehicle did not belong to their alleged target. A few minutes later, the pair again spotted a Range Rover.

The 21-year-old again pulled out into the road to block the black-coloured SUV, but again the pair targeted the wrong vehicle, police allege, and the driver contacted police three minutes later.

Mr Zrayka later gave himself up to police after the vehicle became stuck in traffic following an alleged pursuit, while Mr Tupolahi is alleged had to have fled and resisted arrest.

The court was told police had subsequently located stolen vehicles they allege were going to be used as “drop cars”, with cloned number plates and aftermarket tinted windows.

Mr Tupoulahi is facing 14 charges, including conspiring to murder any person, possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, and assaulting a police officer in the execution of their duty.

The matter will return to court next month.

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