Two Finks cyclists walk free after being found not guilty of attempted murder in Melbourne
Two Finks bikers walk free after being found not guilty of attempting to kill a rival Mongolian member in a revenge killing
- Two Finks cyclists found not guilty
- Rocco Curra was shot in 2019
- It was alleged that he was ambushed
Two Finks cyclists have been found not guilty of the attempted murder of a rival club member, who was shot in the head in an alleged revenge attack.
Rocco Curra was lucky enough to survive a shooting in August 2019, after being lured onto a suburban Melbourne street believing he met a woman he had chatted with on Instagram.
It was alleged that he was ambushed by Fink’s bikers Poiva Sita and Sione Hokafonu, but jurors found the two men not guilty on Tuesday after a weeks-long trial in the Victorian Supreme Court.
Prosecutors had alleged that Mr Hokafonu was one of two gunmen who fired 11 or 12 shots at Mr Curra, after he was allegedly driven to the crime scene by Mr Sita.
Another man, accused of being the second shooter, is being treated separately.
Prosecutors had alleged that Sione Hokafonu (pictured) was one of two gunmen who fired 11 or 12 shots at Mr Curra, after he was allegedly driven to the crime scene by Poiva Sita.
It was alleged that Mongolian member Rocco Curra was ambushed in 2019 by Fink’s bikers Poiva Sita (pictured with Joseph Opapo) and Sione Hokafonu, but jurors found the two men not guilty on Tuesday after a weeks-long trial in the Victorian Supreme Court.
Mr Sita’s brother, Joseph Opapo, was also found not guilty of intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence after jurors rejected him as a second getaway driver.
Rocco Curra (pictured) was lucky enough to survive a shooting in August 2019, after being lured onto a suburban Melbourne street believing he met a woman he had chatted with on Instagram
At trial, jurors were shown footage of a silver BMW parking lot for Mr Curra’s car before two men jump out and fire shots at his vehicle.
Prosecutor Neill Hutton had told jurors the shooting was in retaliation for shooting Mr Hokafonu in the foot days earlier.
That incident was apparently retaliation for an earlier confrontation in a mall pub, when a Mongols employee had his “Support Your Local Mongols” jersey taken away by members of the Finks as a “trophy” after a scuffle.
Mr. Curra tried to drive away, but crashed into a tree. He stumbled into a building and residents called the police.
A witness, who cannot be identified, told the court that there had been a party at Finks’ clubhouse after the shooting.
“There was talk among everyone that they thought he was dead,” the witness said.
‘Hence the festive drink.’
When asked why Mr Curra was targeted, Mr Hokafonu is said to have replied ‘blood for blood or an eye for an eye’.
The three men, who were out on bail, left court.