Browse
Log in / Register
Share
A Sydney court has heard the elaborate planning behind an alleged murder plot targeting nightclub figure John Ibrahim, as two men deny conspiring to kill the former Kings Cross identity.
On March 18, 2025, the Downing Centre District Court heard closing arguments in the trial of Yousif Zrayka, 22, and Siaosi Maeakafa Tupoulahi, 24. The pair were charged with conspiring to murder John Ibrahim in July 2024. Both have pleaded not guilty to that charge, though they admitted to weapons offenses.
According to the Crown, the two men parked a stolen luxury car on Ibrahim’s street in Dover Heights, wearing balaclavas, gloves, and armed with two guns, two jerry cans of fuel, and two jet lighters. The prosecution argued this level of preparation “indicates a high degree of planning” consistent with a murder conspiracy — not a kidnapping or detention.
One key point: the Crown noted there were no cable ties, ropes, or gags found in the vehicle, suggesting the goal was lethal, not restraint. “The only place Ibrahim would have fit was the boot,” the Crown said, but the internal boot release would have allowed him to escape. Further, the two firearms were left on the back seat, accessible to Ibrahim if he was not restrained.
The prosecution theorized the jerry cans were meant to torch the stolen car after the crime. They also argued that the intended victim’s “notoriety and connections” made Ibrahim the target.
However, the defense challenged the assumption that the accused knew it was Ibrahim’s home. “The only evidence is that the officer in charge said it’s common knowledge from the media,” the defense said. “How did these guys know?” They also pointed out that neither accused was a “mastermind” — suggesting someone else may have orchestrated the plan.
The court heard that on July 25, 2024, the pair drove from Chester Hill to Dover Heights in a stolen car with fake plates. They waited over an hour before a Range Rover resembling Ibrahim’s drove away. Zrayka pulled out in front of it, then let it pass. Moments later, another Range Rover — driven by a trial witness — passed, and the pair allegedly mistook it for Ibrahim’s vehicle. CCTV showed Zrayka blocking the car, and Tupoulahi briefly raising a Glock pistol toward the driver before retreating. Police stopped them shortly after.
A search of the stolen car revealed two loaded firearms, two full fuel containers, two jet lighters, rubber gloves, and keys to three other stolen cars. The court was told the criminal enterprise involved six stolen vehicles, mostly high-end. The pair are not charged over the stolen cars or fake plates.
Both men pleaded guilty to weapons charges: Zrayka to two counts of possessing an unauthorized pistol and one count of using an offensive weapon in company; Tupoulahi to two counts of possessing an unauthorized pistol. They deny the murder conspiracy charge, and also deny attempted discharge of a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Justice Michael McHugh is expected to deliver his verdict at a later date. The case has drawn international attention, given Ibrahim’s past as a nightclub kingpin and the alleged involvement of organized crime. In the US, similar conspiracy cases often rely on circumstantial evidence, and legal experts note that the lack of direct evidence linking the accused to the address could be a significant hurdle for the prosecution.
The trial continues.
