Former motorcycle kingpin Tarek Zahed will be eligible for release as early as December for his role in the failed attempt to destroy evidence related to the gang killing of Youssef Assoum.
Just over 18 months since his dramatic arrest by heavily armed police in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Zahed, 43, learned of his fate on Tuesday afternoon after expressing his desire to turn his life around.
The former Comanchero national sergeant-at-arms was arrested in August 2022 when officers in Edgecliff shot beanbags out the windows of his car.
Zahed, once dubbed the ‘Balenciaga bikie’, was charged with murder and kidnapping, with police claiming at the time that he was responsible for the 2014 murder of 29-year-old Youssef Assoum.
Just over 18 months since his dramatic arrest by heavily armed police in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Zahed, 43, learned of his fate on Tuesday afternoon after expressing his desire to turn his life around.
But in a late twist on the eve of Zahed’s trial last month, the murder charges were dropped when he and his brother Abdul struck a plea deal.
Tarek pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of obstructing the discovery of evidence relating to the cleaning and ordering the destruction of Mr Assoum’s car.
Abdul Zahed pleaded guilty to accessory to murder.
Zahed admitted to cleaning the car in which Assoum was killed and ordering its destruction to a scrap yard.
The court heard that Mr Assoum was violently attacked in his Volkswagen Touareg in December 2014, being shot in the leg.
His ankles and wrists were bound during the attack.
The court heard that in the following days Zahed asked another man to destroy the Touareg.
Zahed knew at the time that Mr Assoum had been killed and suspected his brother Abdul was involved, according to the statement of agreed facts.
“His motivation for taking these steps was a desire to protect his brother, an emotion that was perhaps understandable but hardly commendable,” Judge Richard Button said during his sentencing speech on Tuesday afternoon.
On Dec. 12, 2014, Zahed told a man to clean blood from the seat, floor and dashboard and together they wiped down the car, court records show.
Zahed then told the man to dispose of the car via a scrap yard. However, this did not happen.
Tarek pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of obstructing the discovery of evidence relating to the cleaning and ordering the destruction of a Mr Assoum’s car
The other man then paid a friend to get rid of the car by ‘blowing it up’.
It was driven to Georges Hall in Sydney’s south-west where it was set on fire before the blaze was extinguished by firefighters.
Zahed’s fingerprints were found on the vehicle, along with a bullet with blood traces that were DNA matched to Mr Assoum.
While the plan failed, Judge Button described Zahed as playing a “leading role” and “organizing mind” in obstructing the police investigation.
Justice Button said it could not be said with certainty that Mr Assoum’s killers would have been caught if Zahed had not ordered the car cleaned and destroyed.
“The persons, or individuals, who committed the murder were never brought to justice,” Judge Button said.
“It is impossible to say that without the actions taken and led by the perpetrator, the murderer or murderers would have been detected and punished.
“Yet the perpetrator’s actions and orders played a role in complicating the police investigation.”
Mr Zahed’s arrest came just months after he sensationally survived an assassination attempt that killed his other brother Omar.
In May 2022, Zahed was shot 10 times outside an Auburn gym in Sydney’s west.
Omar, 39, died after being shot several times in the arms, abdomen and legs, while Zahed was taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition.
He survived the attack but suffered significant injuries, including the loss of an eye.
Mr Zahed watched the proceedings via video link from Goulburn prison on Tuesday afternoon, with evidence of his injuries clearly visible.
Zahed had been in solitary confinement since his arrest and the only thing occupying his time was a CD player
The court previously heard that Zahed had limited vision in his remaining eye due to cataracts and could not read or watch television.
Zahed had been in solitary confinement since his arrest and the only thing occupying his time was a CD player.
‘The comment (from Zahed’s counsel) was that I could have some confidence that Mr Tarek Zahed will leave his previous life behind him and start anew, free from violence, other criminality and free from any thought of revenge for what happened to him is affected. brother and himself,” Judge Button said.
“I agree that a positive outcome is one possibility. But other, much more negative futures can also be kept in mind as possibilities.
“My ultimate thought on this subject is that you can hope for change, but you cannot be satisfied that it will occur.”
Zahed was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years and four months.
When time expires, Zahed will be eligible for release on December 27, 2024.