Court knocks back bail bid by Mehajer

SALIM Mehajer, the former deputy mayor of Sydney’s Auburn council, will remain in custody after the rejection of his bail application yesterday.

He appeared via audiovisual link as Magistrate Jennifer Giles handed down her decision.

Mr Mehajer is fighting charges of perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to cheat and defraud in relation to a car crash he allegedly staged to avoid a court hearing on October 16 last year.

Ms Giles refused bail on several grounds including that she believed the prosecution case against Mr Mehajer was “quite damning” and on the police facts it was a “premeditated scheme to circumvent the criminal justice system”.

Police allege he and others staged the car crash when he was due to appear in court on charges of assaulting and robbing a taxi driver.

But lawyer Tom Hughes told the court his client might be a victim of an extortion attempt by people connected with the driver of the car that collided with his Mercedes, Fakahe Malinda Moufferrige.

Mr Mehajer was arrested on Tuesday along with his business associate Ahmed Jaghbir, Ms Moufferrige, her husband Elias and another couple, Michael Moufferrige and Nora-Anne Bush, who have all been charged over the alleged conspiracy.

The court heard police were intercepting Mr Jaghbir’s phone in relation to a different matter when he allegedly told another person Mr Mehajer had asked him to arrange the crash to “buy him” more time in relation to his court case.