Jury Discharged in Sydney ’Underworld’ Murder Trial After Prolonged Deliberations
In a high‑profile case that has gripped Sydney’s criminal landscape, jurors in the NSW Supreme Court have been discharged after a month of deliberations produced no verdict. Acting Justice Robert Allan Hulme announced the decision, stating there was no reasonable prospect of reaching a majority verdict on the charges against Samuel John Rokomaqisa.
The Charges at the Center of the Trial
Rokomaqisa, a Fiji‑born man, faced accusations of murdering Bilal Hamze, the head of the Hamze crime family, in June 2021. The indictment also included allegations that he conspired to murder Bilal’s younger brother, Ibrahem Hamze, and assaulted an elderly man during a carjacking. Prosecutors argued the killings and threats were intended to demonstrate Rokomaqisa’s loyalty to the rival Alameddine faction and to earn their trust for future employment within the gang structure.
Deliberations Extend, Then End
The jury began its fourth week of deliberations on Tuesday, having retired to consider verdicts on all counts since September 23. However, the foreperson informed the court that the panel would be unable to reach even a majority verdict of 11 to 1 on any charge. Faced with a potential deadlock that could resort to a retrial, Acting Justice Hulme chose to discharge the jurors today after acknowledging the futility of extending deliberations further.
Statutory and Human Considerations
Discharging a jury is a significant decision in Australia’s legal system, reflecting both the burden placed on jurors and the fair‑trial rights of the accused. Justice Hulme thanked the jurors for their service, noting, “You’ve been here a lot longer than anyone thought you would be.” He added that while it is disappointing for a criminal trial to conclude without a verdict, the jury system sometimes yields outcomes where continued deliberation offers little prospect of resolution.
What Comes Next for Rokomaqisa?
With the panel discharged, Rokomaqisa is scheduled to return to court on November 7 to determine whether a retrial will be mounted. The decision to retry, or to resolve the matter through other means, will depend on prosecutors’ assessment of available evidence and the likelihood of a different outcome if the case proceeds again before a new jury.
The Broader Context
The case has been watched closely as it intersects with Sydney’s ongoing concerns about organized crime and gang‑related violence. Bilal Hamze’s death, occurring outside a Japanese restaurant in the city centre, was described by investigators as retaliation linked to factional rivalries within Sydney’s underworld. Eyewitness accounts noted the vehicle involved had heavily tinted windows and a masked shooter, details that complemented the prosecution’s narrative about the sequence of events surrounding the shooting.
Stakeholders’ Reactions
Lawyers for Rokomaqisa indicated that the defense would reassess their strategy in light of a possible retrial, emphasizing that no eyewitness testimony placed the defendant inside the observed vehicle at the time of the shooting. Prosecutors have not publicly indicated their timetable for a retrial, but the decision will hinge on the availability of compelling evidence that can sustain a conviction beyond reasonable doubt.
Conclusion
As Sydney awaits further developments in this high‑stakes underworld case, the discharged jury marks a pause rather than an end. The criminal justice system will now navigate whether to proceed with a retrial, a consideration that will shape the next phase of a case that has already lasted several months and cast a long shadow over the city’s approach to organized crime.
