Jacob Elliott’s sister was kicked out of a Melbourne nightclub weeks before he’s accused of murder during a drive-by shooting at the venue.
The 18-year-old is charged over the shooting of security guard Aaron Osmani and patron Richard Arow outside the club, Love Machine, in April this year.
Former club staffer Joseph Hosri was there that night, and was forced to give evidence in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.
Elliott is the son of underworld figure Nabil Maghnie, whose daughter, it’s been revealed, was ejected from the same nightclub only three or four weeks before the shooting. Mr Hosri could not recall the young woman, or that she had been banned for six months.
He was also shown video of a young man being removed by security on April 14, the night of the shooting. But he could only vaguely recall the man being removed after watching CCTV footage, and could not remember security speaking to people in a black Mercedes before the shooting.
“All I recall is seeing a friend die in my hands … I have no recollection other than him in my hands,” he said in reference to his fatally wounded colleague.
Mr Hosri told the court he had heard rumours about the club having issues involving bikies, but was unaware if any security staff were linked to gangs. He said he worked as a door selector, not security. His job was to enforce the dress code and attract a “certain crowd” to the club and “avoid letting in big tattooed scary people”.
Maghnie, also known as Nabil Moughnieh, is believed to have underworld ties, including an ongoing feud with ex-Bandidos enforcer Toby Mitchell and former friend Samson Bazi, believed to be the Comanchero motorcycle gang’s Victorian sergeant-at-arms.Maghnie has been shot twice, including in 2016 when he drove himself to hospital after being shot in the head.
Mohamed Omar, who was outside Love Machine at the time of the drive by and is currently in jail, was also forced to give evidence about his relationship with Maghnie.
He said he could “maybe” recall a punch on with Maghnie in the Metropolitan Remand Centre gym last September.
He denied ongoing animosity, telling the court “we’re actually friends”.
Maghnie is facing driving charges over a 209 km/h crash in May and is on bail while he attends drug rehabilitation. Prosecutors tried to have the witnesses give evidence in secret over concerns for their safety, but Mr Hosri refused to talk unless it was in public.
Elliott and 22-year-old Allan Fares are both charged with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder over the shooting.Moussa Hamka, 25, is charged as an accessory after the fact to murder.
The trio’s prosecution is ongoing.
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Source: 9News