Police have raided the house of the mother of nightclub figure John Ibrahim, as well as a number of other houses just days after Mr Ibrahim’s bodyguard Semi ‘Tongan Sam’ Ngata was shot, 9NEWS reports.
Mr Ibrahim’s mother lives in western Sydney in Merrylands and police are expected to remain in the area for several hours, as they raid other properties across Sydney.
Mr Ibrahim’s bodyguard is still refusing to speak to police days after he was shot on the eve of the Ibrahim-Mehajer wedding.
Police have raided the house (pictured) of the mother of nightclub figure John Ibrahim
Raid comes just days after Mr Ibrahim’s bodyguard Semi ‘Tongan Sam’ Ngata was shot
Police outside John Ibrahim’s mother’s home in Merryland, western Sydney (pictured)
Semi ‘Tongan Sam’ Ngata was hit once in his upper body when a bullet was fired over a fence into Mr Ibrahim’s mother’s house in Sydney on Friday night.
The 59-year-old was said to be protecting the bride Aisha Mehajer, sister of disgraced former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer at the time.
But many questions remain unanswered as Mr Ngata reportedly refuses to talk to detectives and the shooter is still on the run.
Semi Ngata, known as Tongan Sam, (pictured centre back with Daniel and John Ibrahim) was shot in the back in Merrylands, in Sydney’s west on Friday night
Sam Sayour and Aisha Mehajer married on Saturday at the same home where John Ibrahim’s bodyguard was shot hours earlier
Police initially believed he was shot in the back but later discovered the bullet was in his torso, and were no longer sure he was even shot at the Merrylands address.
An early motive for the shooting was a feud between members of the extended Mehajer clan and the extended that of groom Sam Sayor, Mr Ibrahim’s nephew.
A source claimed they overheard a man tell Sayour he would be lucky to see his wedding day during a fiery exchange last week, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
But police were now also investigating whether it stemmed from a series of drug shipments worth $1 billion that were intercepted earlier this year, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The imposing figure (pictured centre, with Sam Ibrahim, left, and lawyer Stephen Alexander, right, outside court in 2009) was rushed to Westmead Hospital for surgery
The seizures and subsequent raids resulted in the arrest of more than a dozen people including Mr Ibrahim’s son, and brothers Fadi and Michael.
The brothers were detained in a dramatic police sting in Dubai and extradited back to Australia over a drug and tobacco syndicate.
Fadi was released from jail on strict bail conditions after a $2.2million surety was put up.
The Merrylands home belonging to John’s mother was searched by police during earlier raids, and a loaded 9mm handgun was seized from the property.
John’s home was also raided as part of the investigation in August – but he was not arrested or charged with any offences and police have not so far suggested he or his family were involved in the shooting.
Ngata was shot in what has been described as a ‘brazen and targeted’ attack as the final preparations for the wedding were being made at the home of Mr Ibrahim’s mother.
Ms Mehajer was with another woman in the backyard to help set up the wedding at the time of the shooting, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Tongan Sam (left with Fadi Ibrahim and Salim Mehajer) is still refusing to speak to police days after he was shot
The imposing figure was rushed to Westmead Hospital for surgery, and his lawyer said he was recovering well.
Ngata’s wife has been keeping a bedside vigil and told reporters ‘he was doing OK’.
The suspected getaway car was found burnt out in a nearby suburb.
As guests arrived for the wedding on Saturday evening, marked and unmarked police vehicles patrolled the area for fear of further violence during the nuptials.
A photo of the happy couple smiling adoringly has been released by the former Auburn deputy mayor’s sister Kat Sakalaki, as Aisha and Sam sign their marriage certificate
On Instagram Ms Sakalaki wrote: ‘I can’t believe my baby sister is getting married today! I love you so much Aishy #feelingemotional’
The names of the couple were etched on a pavement outside John Ibrahim’s mother’s home ahead of the ceremony
Guests were seen around the house all afternoon as they helped organise the impending wedding
On Saturday night a small selection of guests attended the wedding as originally planned.
Luxury cars lined the streets surrounding the houses during what appeared to be a low-key event.
A photo of the happy couple smiling adoringly was released by Salim Mehajer’s sister Kat Sakalaki, as the newlyweds were seen signing their marriage certificate.
Aisha, dressed in an off-the-shoulder lace midi length gown, sat on a golden throne next to her beau in ripped trousers and a sky blue jacket.
The table in front of them was lined with expensive jewels, including two wedding rings and a gold bracelet. A flower wall visible behind them set the scene for a Kim Kardashian-inspired ceremony.
Guests walk into the premises as the sun goes down and police scour cars for any evidence
This guest of the wedding was seen carrying a David Jones bag into the house on Saturday
As police continued to investigate the shooting people began to arrive at the home with flowers and wedding decorations
While the inside of Ibrahim’s mother’s house where the wedding was set was awash with congratulations, outside police with flashlights were checking parked cars for any clues about the shooting.
Authorities could hardly be seen in the dead of night as they scanned the selection of wedding cars lining Price Street in Merrylands.
Tongan Sam has worked as a bodyguard for nightclub boss John for more than a decade after the pair met in Kings Cross in the 1990s.
His loyalty to Ibrahim was shown in 2014 when he was pictured wearing a T-shirt with John’s face emblazoned across it.
Two thumbs up! This jolly guest was all smiles as he arrived for the impending nuptials
The presiding priest walks into the house in preparation for the wedding on Saturday evening
Media and neighbours gathered outside the Merrylands home (pictured) owned by John Ibrahim’s mother on Saturday morning
John and his three brothers – Sam, Michael and Fadi – have all been either shot or stabbed over recent years.
Michael – the most recent victim – was gunned down on Macquarie Street in Sydney’s CBD in 2015, while Fadi was shot five times as he sat in his Lamborghini.
Sam was also hit in the legs in a 2011 drive-by shooting, and John was stabbed in Kings Cross as a teenager.
Officers are also looking into whether a burnt-out car (pictured) found nearby is linked to the shooting
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