A sex worker has shared her traumatic experience of witnessing the assassination of Bilal Hamze, the leader of the Hamze crime family, shortly after they enjoyed a meal together at Kid Kyoto restaurant on June 17, 2021. The woman, emotional as she recounted the events in court, described how she and Hamze were in high spirits when they left the restaurant. However, their jovial moment quickly turned into chaos after she heard a gunshot, prompting Hamze to flee, with her instinctively following suit.
In the aftermath, she discreetly hid until the gunfire ceased, before rushing to Hamze, who was lying face down on the pavement. Desperately, she attempted to revive him by calling for help, only to find herself too shaken to communicate with emergency services. Despite her efforts, Hamze succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen, hip, and elbow shortly after the attack.
The circumstances surrounding Hamze’s murder are currently being examined in the trial of Samuel John Rokomaqisa, who is accused of killing him. Rokomaqisa has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which also include conspiracy to kill Hamze’s brother, Ibrahem, and an assault involving an elderly man during a carjacking. His lawyer contends that there is insufficient eyewitness evidence linking Rokomaqisa to the murder, given that the vehicle associated with the crime was heavily tinted, obscuring views of its occupants.
Witness statements have noted the sound of gunfire, with one taxi driver recalling seeing flashes from the car’s front passenger window as the shots rang out. Another bystander, Carolyn Howard, stated she observed the incident unfold and was terrified by the violence, described as having left her feeling shaken.
As the trial progresses, evidence will be scrutinised, including the sex worker’s communications with a male friend at the time of the shooting, which the jury has been made aware of, amid claims of frantic exchanges with an unidentified individual in the area at the time. The unfolding case delves into the complexities of crime and loyalty within the criminal underworld, highlighting the harrowing reality faced by witnesses of such violence.