UPDATE: Gangland figure Tony Mokbel is intensifying his legal battle after a split decision from the Victoria Court of Appeal regarding his convictions. This urgent ruling, delivered just hours ago on October 27, 2023, has significant implications for the notorious kingpin’s future.
Mokbel, 60, entered the court with hopes of overturning two major drug trafficking and one drug importation conviction. However, Justices Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye issued differing rulings on each charge, leaving Mokbel’s quest for justice hanging in the balance. The judges quashed the conviction from the Quills operation but ordered a retrial for the Orbital importation charge, citing serious concerns over the integrity of evidence gathered.
In their summary, the court stated, “Although the alleged offending was serious and evil, the way the evidence was obtained undermined fundamental principles of the criminal justice system.” The ruling highlighted the failure of Victoria Police to disclose misconduct by former lawyer-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo, raising questions about Mokbel’s guilty pleas.
Despite this partial victory, the court upheld Mokbel’s conviction for the Magnum charge, which centers around trafficking over 41 kilograms of methylamphetamine. The judges ruled that the issues surrounding Gobbo’s conduct did not impact this specific case.
Mokbel, who has been out on bail since April after nearly 18 years behind bars, exited the court visibly focused and did not address reporters’ questions. His legal team will return to court on October 29, 2023, for a hearing regarding the Orbital charge, with another appearance scheduled for November 2023 to address the Magnum offense.
Mokbel’s legal struggles come in the wake of his claims of a significant miscarriage of justice, primarily due to Gobbo’s dual role as his lawyer and police informant. Gobbo, unmasked as Lawyer X in 2019, had been an informant for Victoria Police from 2005 to 2009, advising Mokbel during critical periods, including when he fled to Greece in 2006.
The stakes are high for Mokbel. The Quills charge involved allegations of trafficking over 30 kilograms of MDMA in 2005, while the Orbital charge relates to his attempts to import 100 kilograms of the drug, believing he was dealing with international suppliers. Both charges illustrate the serious nature of Mokbel’s criminal dealings.
As this story develops, Mokbel’s legal team is arguing that the evidence against him was fundamentally compromised, leading to a flawed guilty plea in 2011. Prosecutors, however, maintain that despite weaknesses in some cases, the evidence remains viable.
With critical hearings approaching, the implications of today’s ruling could reshape Mokbel’s legal landscape and impact the broader conversation about the integrity of the criminal justice system in Australia.
Stay tuned for updates as this story unfolds.
