Kachami was arrested shortly after the robbery, which took place at 9.40am on 27 April at MGC’s offices on Collins Street. CCTV footage showed him apparently threatening Ede – an employee of MGC – with a firearm before opening a safe and loading gold bullion, jewellery and cash onto a trolley before fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
The Age reported that he later led police to his family’s property at Dollar, in the Gippsland region, where they recovered a portion of the stolen goods and cash, as well as a handgun and stolen number plates.
Ede was subsequently arrested on 12 May and charged with aggravated burglary, theft, perjury and firearms offences, with police alleging he and Kachami were friends and had planned the robbery together.
At the bail hearing, Detective Senior Constable Sarah Inglese, Victoria Police, said that inspection of the CCTV footage indicated the gun wielded by Kachami was not loaded. Police allege that a suspicious white vehicle spotted in Dollar in the days following the robbery belonged to Ede’s father-in-law.
Additionally, the court heard that Ede had previously loaned Kachami $88,000.
Acting for Kachami at the hearing, barrister Philip Dunn QC characterised the robbery as a “comedy of errors” and said his client “went along with what he thought was a no-risk plan”.
Dunn said Kachami, who was previously employed in the accommodation sector, was motivated by financial pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and made a “very silly decision”.
However, prosecutor Andrew McKenry said, “This was a crime committed to make money – and to make a lot of money.”
Kachami applied for bail on the grounds of needing to care for his three young children and in order to receive treatment for diabetes. The Age reported that Kachami’s mother also offered a $250,000 surety on the Dollar property where the stolen goods were found.
Acting for Ede, barrister Theo Alexander argued for his client to be released on bail to care for his wife and children and suggested that rather than planning the robbery with Kachami, simply carried a “suspicion” that the person robbing him was his friend, the Australian Associated Press reports.
Prosecutor McKenry opposed the bail application due to the seriousness of the crime, arguing that Ede could also access more than $300,000 in missing gold, jewellery and cash that has not yet been located by police.
Magistrate Ross Maxted is expected to hand down a decision on both men’s applications later this month.
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