Home / Crime and Justice / Daylight Shooting Trial: Chauffeur Driven Getaway Exposed
Daylight Shooting Trial: Chauffeur Driven Getaway Exposed
15 Apr
Summary
- Two men accused of murder and attempted murder in a brazen daylight attack.
- Alleged assassins used encrypted apps and a chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle for escape.
- A firearm ballistically matched to the shooting was recovered in a separate investigation.
Two men, Jaeden Tito and Rabii Zahabe, are on trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria, having pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder. They are accused of fatally shooting underworld figure Gavin Preston and injuring his associate Abbas Maghnie during a daylight attack outside a Melbourne cafe on September 9, 2023. The Crown prosecutor described the event as a contract killing, organized by unknown individuals.
The court heard how the alleged assassins meticulously planned the hit, sourcing balaclavas and using encrypted apps. Stolen vehicles with cloned plates were reportedly used in preparation for the attack and subsequent escape. A chauffeur was hired via an encrypted app to transport passengers from Melbourne to Sydney the morning after the shooting, with one passenger allegedly having burns on his arm.
Further evidence presented includes phone and traffic data tracking the escape vehicle from Melbourne to New South Wales. The chauffeur reportedly noted his passengers had a 'weird smell' and one stated, 'We are brothers now.' Investigations also revealed Zahabe allegedly searched for 'no extradition countries' and viewed images of Preston. DNA evidence and a firearm ballistically matched to the shooting are also central to the prosecution's case.
