Masi Ayiik, a 33-year-old former immigration detainee, is set to pursue his sixth bail application after a recent incident in which he was shot by police during a welfare check in Melbourne. His court proceedings at the Melbourne Magistrates Court were adjourned for a second consecutive day as he sought bail.
During the incident, police were called to Ayiik’s residence twice within 90 minutes. Authorities claim he charged at officers wielding a metal pole, resulting in police deploying capsicum spray before one officer discharged a firearm, hitting Ayiik in the upper body. Following this encounter, Ayiik faced multiple charges, including four counts of resisting police, and single counts for assaulting police, common assault, and reckless conduct leading to serious injury.
In court, Ayiik expressed frustration over the delays in his case, questioning the courtroom changes made shortly before the adjournment. He has a history of serious offences and was one of the 224 immigration detainees released following a significant High Court ruling earlier in 2023, which determined that indefinite detention of immigrants can only be imposed if there is a realistic prospect of their removal from Australia.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson has linked Ayiik’s alleged actions to perceived government inaction, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his government’s efforts to bolster community safety, stating that the High Court ruling is not something that can be legislated away by politicians.
Ayiik is expected to return to court on Tuesday for his bail application, as the investigation into the police shooting is being managed by Victoria Police’s Professional Standards Command.