A former immigration detainee is alleged to have threatened a police officer with a knife just days after he was accused of breaching his visa conditions.
Sundanese-born Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad, 45, has been charged and released on bail four times since his release in November for breaching his visa conditions.
He was one of 153 asylum seekers released from immigration detention following the Supreme Court’s NZYQ decision.
Elawad was last released on bail in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday, having appeared in the same court just five days earlier on April 29.
A former immigration detainee has been charged four times and released on bail after allegedly failing to meet his visa conditions (pictured is Villawood Immigration Detention Centre)
The series of cases has sparked major controversy, with calls increasing for Immigration Minister Andrew Giles (photo, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese)
The 45-year-old was brought to court after being accused of failing to comply with curfew and control rules between April 20 and 29. The Australian reports.
On April 21, Elawad was arrested and charged with allegedly resisting and assaulting an officer, shoplifting and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Officers threatened Elawad with a Taser during the scuffle at a pub in Footscray, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne.
“The charge relates to an incident at an Albert Street supermarket in Footscray where the man allegedly stole groceries and was allegedly carrying a knife at around 9am,” a police spokeswoman said.
‘(Police) members followed the man to a nearby pub on Nicholson Street where he allegedly threatened officers with the knife.
“They drew a Taser and issued a warning, which resulted in the peaceful arrest of the man without any harm to the public in the hotel or (police) members.”
He appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court and was released on bail the same day, despite protests from Commonwealth prosecutors.
Just three days earlier, Elawad was released on bail on April 18 after being charged with “not residing at a registered residence and having his surveillance device emptied.”
He was first arrested just weeks after being released from immigration detention.
Another released inmate, Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, is one of three people charged over the alleged brutal bashing of 73-year-old Ninette Simmons (pictured)
Recently released immigration detainee Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan (above), accused of preying on an elderly woman in her own home
Elawad breached his visa conditions when he allegedly stole luggage from a sleeping traveler at Melbourne airport.
He will have hearings on both his state and federal charges on May 22.
It comes just days after it was reported that another former immigration detainee allegedly failed to meet his visa requirements.
The 31-year-old Afghan-born man was arrested by Australian Federal Police in Brisbane on Tuesday.
He is alleged to have twice breached the terms of his Commonwealth visa in April by failing to adhere to a mandatory curfew.
He has been charged with two counts of failing to comply with curfew conditions and faces a maximum of five years behind bars and a $93,900 fine.
The series of cases has sparked major controversy, with calls growing for Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to resign.
Another released inmate, Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, is one of three people charged over the alleged brutal bashing of 73-year-old Ninette Simmons.
Western Australian police say three people attacked Ms Simmons and her 76-year-old husband Philip, claiming his hands were tied behind his back while they stole $200,000 worth of jewellery.
Prosecutors told the hearing that Mr Doukoshkan, who came to Australia from Kuwait, was “likely to offend again” and had compliance issues, but the board ruled he did not have to wear the bracelet.
Doukoshkan was one of 154 men released from immigration detention in November after the Supreme Court ruled that indefinite detention was unlawful.