An individual involved in the illegal distribution of narcotics is currently facing legal proceedings for allegedly unlawfully entering a residence and causing the death of an individual due to an outstanding financial obligation.
Bahra Youseff has entered a plea of not guilty in relation to the homicide of Adnan Salameh, aged 30, who was fatally attacked in the presence of his partner on November 30, 2020.
Youseff, who was acknowledged by his lawyer in the NSW Supreme Court as a drug dealer, refutes any connection to Salameh’s killing in Tregear, located in western Sydney.
Commencing the trial today, crown prosecutor Sylvie Sloane informed the jury that Salameh’s accomplice made a credit purchase of cocaine amounting to $1500 from the defendant around six weeks before to the purported homicide.
Youseff is alleged to have unlawfully entered the residence of the partner alongside an unidentified someone and subsequently shot Salameh when he aggressively moved towards him, following their failure to resolve their financial obligation.
According to the prosecution, one of the trespassers shouted “sit down and refrain from approaching us” while forcibly entering the granny flat.
Salameh was subsequently shot after he failed to obey the command.
Both purported trespassers were donning balaclavas, and the shotgun remains unaccounted for.
According to the jury, Salameh and his partner were engaged in the sale of narcotics in order to finance their own substance dependencies.
Sloane stated that the Crown’s argument is based on the evidence from CCTV footage, which shows Youseff’s automobile repeatedly circling the vicinity prior to the incident.
Additionally, phone tower data places Youseff in the same area around that time.
According to the jury’s information, Salameh and his accomplice unlawfully entered a residence where two acquaintances resided on November 8, 2020, and committed theft by taking a sum of money.
According to the prosecution, after the accused was notified about the burglary, he sent a message to one of the victims stating “so they have money now”.
According to defence counsel John Stratton, the case is exceptional since nearly all the individuals who played a major role in the case were both using and engaging in the trade of drugs.
However, Stratton predicted that the prosecution would fail to present any forensic evidence that may establish a connection between Youseff and the murder.
Additionally, Stratton anticipated that the prosecution would not be able to produce a witness who could positively identify Youseff as being engaged in the crime.
He asserted that Salameh’s drug consumption increased in the weeks before to his murder, accusing him of not paying his drug bills and engaging in fraudulent drug sales.
“Numerous individuals appeared to possess a motive, at the very least, to inflict harm upon Mr. Salameh,” Stratton stated.
According to the crown evidence, phone towers indicate that Youseff was present in the Tregear region on the night of the shooting.
He stated that this would not be surprising, as he often visited the area to sell drugs.
A law enforcement officer who arrived at the residence immediately after the shooting informed the court that Salameh’s accomplice was seated next the deceased individual upon her arrival.
