Home

Man accused of double-murder stands trial

Gus McCubbingAAP
A man accused of murdering two men following an alleged attempted armed drug robbery is on trial.
Camera IconA man accused of murdering two men following an alleged attempted armed drug robbery is on trial. Credit: AAP

A Victorian man shot his friend and wheeled the dying man away in a shopping trolley after a plan to buy drugs morphed into an armed robbery, a jury has been told.

Norden Wilio, then 23, is accused of murdering his friend, 28-year-old Ali Ali, and Deniz Hasan, 40, at Meadow Heights, in Melbourne's north, in March 2019.

Prosecutor Raymond Gibson QC on Wednesday told a jury before the Victorian Supreme Court that Mr Ali first met up with Mr Hasan to buy marijuana.

But after Mr Hasan popped the boot of his car and revealed he had "pounds" of the drug for sale, Mr Ali said he had to go back home first to get more cash.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

He then returned with Wilio, the prosecutor said, who was allegedly armed with a shotgun.

"Deniz Hasan was innocently waiting for the money to turn up so they could purchase the weed," Mr Gibson told the jury.

"But of course the plan had changed from a purchase to an armed robbery."

Mr Hasan tried to run away after seeing the loaded weapon but was dragged out of his car by Mr Ali and Wilio, the prosecutor said.

A scuffle broke out and shots were fired.

Mr Gibson argued that it did not matter that Wilio meant to shoot Mr Hasan rather than Mr Ali, as he still had intended to kill someone.

He said this constituted "transferred malice".

Wilio put Mr Ali in a shopping trolley and wheeled the 28-year-old man away as he was "screaming in pain" and begging local residents to call triple zero, Mr Gibson said.

His defence barrister, Peter Chadwick QC, said whether or not Wilio had made an agreement with Mr Ali to rob Mr Hasan at gunpoint, or had actually produced the weapon that killed the two men, remained in dispute.

Mr Chadwick said he would also contest whether his client actually shot Mr Ali and whether he had any intention to kill or seriously injure Mr Hasan.

Wilio has also been been accused of one count of attempted armed robbery.

The trial continues on Thursday.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails