'Frantic' calls before gang figure's city execution

Bilal Hamze spent his last hours dining with the woman at Kid Kyoto restaurant in Sydney's city centre in June 2021 before he was fatally shot on the street outside.

The woman ran for her life after the first two shots were fired, hiding while eight further shots rang out in the street.

Samuel John Rokomaqisa, 35, is on trial in the NSW Supreme Court accused of carrying out the retaliatory drive-by shooting on behalf of the rival Alameddine crime network, amid an escalating feud between the gangs. 

There was no eyewitness evidence to place the Fijian man inside the black car allegedly used by the shooter, his lawyer told the jury on Tuesday.

"No one identifies him as being in that motor vehicle," defence barrister George Thomas said in his opening remarks.

The jury is expected to hear evidence that the sex worker was in communication with a person of interest who was in the vicinity of the restaurant when the shooting occurred.

"(Police) described his behaviour as frantic, sending messages, making phone calls around the time of the killing," Mr Thomas said. 

The sex worker ran to Bilal Hamze and called triple zero after the shooting but was too distraught to speak, the court was told on Monday. 

Rokomaqisa has pleaded not guilty to Hamze's murder as well as conspiring to kill his brother Ibrahem Hamze weeks later.

He also denies assaulting an elderly man while stealing his car to evade police after the alleged plot to kill was thwarted.

Mr Thomas begged the jury to keep an open mind and consider whether there were alternative explanations for the evidence provided by the prosecution. 

There was no eyewitness evidence to place the Fijian man inside the black Audi allegedly used by the shooter, his lawyer told the jury on Tuesday.

Mr Thomas noted the jurors would hear from a forensic expert who was expected to testify that Rokomaqisa's DNA could have been deposited in the Audi via secondary transfer.

Mr Thomas similarly expressed doubts about whether his client could be proven to be linked to the attempted murder conspiracy.

Detective Inspector Joseph Maree told the jury that both Hamze brothers had moved homes in early 2021 due to the escalating conflict between their family crime syndicate and the Alameddines.

There had been a number of threats against Bilal Hamze's life at that time, the police officer said. 

Prosecutors allege the criminal groups have been feuding for years, leading to several public place shootings including a retaliatory shooting of an Alameddine associate days before Bilal Hamze was gunned down.

Witnesses are expected to testify that Rokomaqisa later boasted about his involvement in the shooting, including that he was owed $200,000 for "the thing".

Crown prosecutor Kate Ratcliffe claimed on Monday the 35-year-old committed the crimes to demonstrate his loyalty to the Alameddine crime network and to gain their trust.

In return, he allegedly received funds which cannot be explained by lawful employment.

The trial continues.

Australian Associated Press