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Two brothers have been granted bail after spending months behind bars over the wild Kokomo’s nightclub brawl in which Canberra bikie boss Pitasoni Ulavalu was fatally stabbed. But $10,000 cash sureties must be deposited with the ACT Magistrates Court before Matthew Kupu and Osaiasi Avanua Sydney Kupu are released from custody. When the western Sydney duo appeared in court on Tuesday morning, prosecutor Anthony Williamson did not oppose their applications for bail. Magistrate Beth Campbell agreed to release the pair on lengthy lists of conditions, which include the sureties as well as nightly curfews and a requirement that they surrender their passports. The brothers, who will live together at an address in Ermington, NSW, have also been banned from contacting any of their other co-defendants or prosecution witnesses. The court heard that it was likely they would be released from custody on Wednesday, with family members needing to travel down from Sydney with the cash sureties and passports. The Kupus, who have both pleaded not guilty to affray, were among six men arrested in August and charged over the July 19 fight that left the Comanchero gang’s Canberra chapter commander dead. The other four defendants’ cases were also mentioned on Tuesday morning, when alleged killer Frederick Elijah Mercy Tuifua’s matter was adjourned with no application for bail. Mr Tuifua, who is from Silverwater in western Sydney, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ulavalu. Maximilian Ellis Kurt Budack, who is understood to be a Canberran, will also remain in custody after having his matter put over until next year. Mr Budack, who has pleaded not guilty to affray, was arrested alongside Mr Tuifua and the Kupus after the group turned up at a hospital emergency department on August 5. He had suffered three gunshot wounds in an incident that remains under investigation, but which police suspect was a reprisal attack linked to the Civic nightspot brawl. Mr Budack’s lawyer told the court on Tuesday that she had received a 100-gigabyte USB containing a “voluminous” brief of evidence, which she needed time to consider. The other two men, whose identifies have been suppressed by the court, have also pleaded not guilty to affray. All six defendants are set to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court again on January 12 next year. READ MORE:
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Two brothers have been granted bail after spending months behind bars over the wild Kokomo’s nightclub brawl in which Canberra bikie boss Pitasoni Ulavalu was fatally stabbed.
But $10,000 cash sureties must be deposited with the ACT Magistrates Court before Matthew Kupu and Osaiasi Avanua Sydney Kupu are released from custody.
When the western Sydney duo appeared in court on Tuesday morning, prosecutor Anthony Williamson did not oppose their applications for bail.
Magistrate Beth Campbell agreed to release the pair on lengthy lists of conditions, which include the sureties as well as nightly curfews and a requirement that they surrender their passports.
The brothers, who will live together at an address in Ermington, NSW, have also been banned from contacting any of their other co-defendants or prosecution witnesses.
Canberra Comanchero chapter commander Pitasoni Ulavalu, who was fatally stabbed at the Kokomo’s nightclub in July. Picture: Facebook
The court heard that it was likely they would be released from custody on Wednesday, with family members needing to travel down from Sydney with the cash sureties and passports.
The Kupus, who have both pleaded not guilty to affray, were among six men arrested in August and charged over the July 19 fight that left the Comanchero gang’s Canberra chapter commander dead.
The other four defendants’ cases were also mentioned on Tuesday morning, when alleged killer Frederick Elijah Mercy Tuifua’s matter was adjourned with no application for bail.
A knife described by police as the suspected murder weapon is removed from a drain in Turner in August. Pictures: ACT Policing
Mr Tuifua, who is from Silverwater in western Sydney, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ulavalu.
Maximilian Ellis Kurt Budack, who is understood to be a Canberran, will also remain in custody after having his matter put over until next year.
Mr Budack, who has pleaded not guilty to affray, was arrested alongside Mr Tuifua and the Kupus after the group turned up at a hospital emergency department on August 5.
He had suffered three gunshot wounds in an incident that remains under investigation, but which police suspect was a reprisal attack linked to the Civic nightspot brawl.
Mr Budack’s lawyer told the court on Tuesday that she had received a 100-gigabyte USB containing a “voluminous” brief of evidence, which she needed time to consider.
The other two men, whose identifies have been suppressed by the court, have also pleaded not guilty to affray.
All six defendants are set to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court again on January 12 next year.
