Key Points
- Brazilian student Ivan Susin, 29, is hit by a single punch, hits his head on the sidewalk and dies 12 days later at the hospital in Gold Coast (October 2019)
- Ricky Lefoe, a tradie from Sydney, is accused of delivering the fatal punch that led to Ivan's death. He was responding to the process in Queesnland and was free on bail.
- Police believes Lefoe is part of a gang, who robbed, bashed and shot truck driver Leith Castairs leaving him for dead near Lithgow, in NSW
- Police believes there is a fifth member of the gang and said they know who it is.
- Gang is accused of stealing AU$ 600,000 from the truck driver, money disappeared.
New South Wales police released dramatic images of the arrest of four men who assaulted and shot a truck driver near the town of Lithgow.
One of these men is Ricky Lefoe, accused of throwing the only deadly punch at student Ivan Susin on the Gold Coast in 2019. According to legal documents obtained by SBS in Portuguese, Lefoe was fulfilling his bail conditions - until he was accused of committing crimes of theft and conspiracy in NSW, where he was detained and remains behind bars. Now, under the laws of Australia, he will have to answer for the crimes in NSW and only then will he be 'extradited' to Queensland where he will answer for the death of Ivan Susin.
After a two-month investigation and public appeals for information, New South Wales Strike Force detectives executed an arrest warrant on a house in Luddenham, west Sydney, and six search warrants on homes in Campbelltown, Ambarvale, Bradbury, Mount Annan and Primbee.
The police operation carried out in the early hours of March 23 resulted in the simultaneous arrest of four men, wanted for armed robbery.
One of these men is Ricky Lefoe, accused of throwing the only deadly punch at student Ivan Susin, 29, in October 2019 in Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast. Lefoe responded to the crime on bail.
Videos from the police show the use of brute force to arrest Lefoe.
In all, four men - aged 30, 29, 28 and 23 - were arrested and taken to local police stations.
A segunda prisão de Ricky Lefoe: acusado de atirar em um caminhoneiro e deixá-lo na beira da estrada lutando por sua vida Source: NSW Police
Police claim that Ricky Lefoe is part of the gang that stole and shot the trucker Leith Castairs, 42, on September 29 last year.
The group broke down the truck door, dragged Leith Castairs to the side of the road and fired three shots at the truck driver, one in the leg and two in the right foot.
NSW Police Superintendent Robert Critchlow told Channel 10 and Channel 7 that the trucker was ‘attacked’ by the gang.
"He was sleeping when he was dragged out of the vehicle and left on the road fighting for his life," said the officer.
He also said it was fortunate that emergency services were called to the Great Western Highway in Mount Lambie, where the ambush occurred, after reports that a truck driver had been shot.
It is a gang with a criminal history, the truck driver could have lost his leg, he could have lost his life, said Superintendent Cricklow.
Truck driver Leith Castairs claims he was robbed at AU $ 600,000 (R $ 2.5 million), but the police did not locate the money. Castairs recovered from the hospital and returned to Western Australia, the state where he lives.
De acordo com a polícia, o grupo arrombou a porta do caminhão, arrastou Leith Castairs para a beira da estrada e disparou três tiros no caminhoneiro, um na perna e dois no pé direito. Source: NSW Police
Police superintendent Robert Critchlow said that there is a fifth man on the run and that they know who he is.
"There is no reason to hide or flee, we suggest that he report to the police as soon as possible."
The operation carried out in the early hours of March 23, 2021 by New South Wales Strike Force detectives resulted in the simultaneous arrest of four men.
Lefoe is in custody and has been accused of kidnapping; intention to commit serious bodily injury; theft; firing of a firearm with the intention of causing serious bodily injury, participation in gangs and criminal activity.
The Ivan Susin case
A operação realizada na madrugada de 23 de março 2021 pelos detetives da Strike Force de New South Wales resultou na prisão simultânea de quatro homens. Source: NSW Police
Lefoe responde ao repórter do Canal 10 no momento em que é retirado de casa: "Não sei porque a polícia está aqui" Source: Channel 10 News First
Ricky Lefoe is accused of punching Ivan Susin, 29, in the head during a fight that started in one of the busiest streets of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. The fight occurred in the early hours of October 1, 2019.
Lefoe was initially charged with serious bodily harm, but that charge was raised after Susin's death for illegal use of physical force causing death. He responds to the process on bail.
The Queensland Supreme Court allowed Lefoe to reside in the state of New South Wales (NSW).
SBS in Portuguese understands that Lefoe was fulfilling his bail conditions - until he committed the crime of kidnapping, theft in NSW. He was arrested and is currently in prison in New Sout Wales.
Estudante brasileiro Ivan Susin, de 29 anos, morreu após levar apenas um soco Source: News Ltd / Ivan Susin
As states in Australia have different laws, NSW police have notified Queensland authorities of the crime against the truck driver. Lefoe must now be tried and punished for the crime he committed in NSW before being tried for the death of Ivan Susin in Queensland.
When the NSW process is complete, Lefoe will be taken back to Queensland to continue his judicial process in that state.
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