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A man has been charged with murdering his housemate and attempting to kill another two people during a bloody incident at a suburban Belconnen home last weekend. Wajid Kakar, 35, appeared briefly in the ACT Magistrates Court over the phone from Canberra Hospital on Thursday afternoon. The Afghan national did not speak as a Legal Aid lawyer, Jan de Bruin, told the court from his bedside that Mr Kakar would not apply for bail. Magistrate Peter Morrison formally charged the defendant with murdering a man named Michael Williams last Saturday. He also read to Mr Kakar charges alleging the 35-year-old had attempted to murder another man and a woman on the same date. Mr Kakar did not enter pleas and was remanded in custody ahead of his next court appearance on March 12. Moments earlier, Detective Superintendent Scott Moller told media that the 34-year-old deceased man and the 28-year-old surviving male victim had lived with the defendant in “a share house situation” at the Page home where the incident occurred. He said the female survivor, a 20-year-old woman, had been visiting the Braine Street property at the time in question last Saturday morning. At this stage, detectives believe Mr Kakar used at least two knives to inflict “significant” stab wounds on each of the other three people who were at the house. Police have said neighbours called them to the “unpredictable and extremely dangerous” scene about 9am on Saturday. Responding officers had to Taser Mr Kakar, who had also been injured in the incident, when he allegedly “rushed” at them with a weapon. Investigators then spent the following five days combing through the home in question and a number of surrounding properties to find evidence, wrapping up their search on Wednesday. But by Thursday afternoon, they were “still working through issues of motive”, having so far been unable to interview the surviving victims. Detective Superintendent Moller said he expected it would be some time before his team was in a position to speak with those people, who were still recovering from their injuries in hospital. However, he said police were “absolutely confident” in the charges that had been laid. “There are still two victims to speak to in hospital, but we’ve spoken to many, many witnesses about this incident, and we’re very confident we’ve got enough evidence,” Detective Superintendent Moller said. The senior detective also appealed on Thursday for information from a male cyclist, who ultimately contacted police within a few hours. “One of the victims ran out [of the Page house] and yelled at the cyclist, who was riding his bicycle past at the time,” Detective Superintendent Moller said. “My investigators would dearly love to speak to that person. We believe they will have some evidence they can provide us.” A specialist taskforce has been established to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of Mr Williams. Police have already taken statements from more than 20 potential witnesses in the case, and Detective Superintendent Moller said the public should recognise the work of all emergency services involved. “Certainly, the police responded [to] an unpredictable, violent man, who was arrested [and] disarmed,” he said. “But equally, we’ve got the paramedics who attended and stabilised [two] victims enough so they could be transported to the hospital, where the doctors and the nurses worked on them and saved their lives. “Holistically, the emergency services in Canberra have done a great job.” Anyone with information who is yet to speak to police has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Information can be provided anonymously, quoting reference number 6737571. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
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A man has been charged with murdering his housemate and attempting to kill another two people during a bloody incident at a suburban Belconnen home last weekend.
Wajid Kakar, 35, appeared briefly in the ACT Magistrates Court over the phone from Canberra Hospital on Thursday afternoon.
The Afghan national did not speak as a Legal Aid lawyer, Jan de Bruin, told the court from his bedside that Mr Kakar would not apply for bail.
Magistrate Peter Morrison formally charged the defendant with murdering a man named Michael Williams last Saturday.
He also read to Mr Kakar charges alleging the 35-year-old had attempted to murder another man and a woman on the same date.
Mr Kakar did not enter pleas and was remanded in custody ahead of his next court appearance on March 12.
Moments earlier, Detective Superintendent Scott Moller told media that the 34-year-old deceased man and the 28-year-old surviving male victim had lived with the defendant in “a share house situation” at the Page home where the incident occurred.
He said the female survivor, a 20-year-old woman, had been visiting the Braine Street property at the time in question last Saturday morning.
Detective Superintendent Scott Moller.
At this stage, detectives believe Mr Kakar used at least two knives to inflict “significant” stab wounds on each of the other three people who were at the house.
Police have said neighbours called them to the “unpredictable and extremely dangerous” scene about 9am on Saturday.
Responding officers had to Taser Mr Kakar, who had also been injured in the incident, when he allegedly “rushed” at them with a weapon.
Investigators then spent the following five days combing through the home in question and a number of surrounding properties to find evidence, wrapping up their search on Wednesday.
But by Thursday afternoon, they were “still working through issues of motive”, having so far been unable to interview the surviving victims.
Detective Superintendent Moller said he expected it would be some time before his team was in a position to speak with those people, who were still recovering from their injuries in hospital.
However, he said police were “absolutely confident” in the charges that had been laid.
“There are still two victims to speak to in hospital, but we’ve spoken to many, many witnesses about this incident, and we’re very confident we’ve got enough evidence,” Detective Superintendent Moller said.
The senior detective also appealed on Thursday for information from a male cyclist, who ultimately contacted police within a few hours.
“One of the victims ran out [of the Page house] and yelled at the cyclist, who was riding his bicycle past at the time,” Detective Superintendent Moller said.
“My investigators would dearly love to speak to that person. We believe they will have some evidence they can provide us.”
Police have already taken statements from more than 20 potential witnesses in the case, and Detective Superintendent Moller said the public should recognise the work of all emergency services involved.
“Certainly, the police responded [to] an unpredictable, violent man, who was arrested [and] disarmed,” he said.
“But equally, we’ve got the paramedics who attended and stabilised [two] victims enough so they could be transported to the hospital, where the doctors and the nurses worked on them and saved their lives.
“Holistically, the emergency services in Canberra have done a great job.”
Anyone with information who is yet to speak to police has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Information can be provided anonymously, quoting reference number 6737571.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
