A notorious criminal caught up in a jailhouse brawl is alleged to have slashed a fellow inmate with a shiv because he mistakenly thought he was a rollover witness.
Farhad Qaumi, the former boss of the Brothers 4 Life crime gang, allegedly stabbed the 31-year-old prisoner, who cannot be named, repeatedly in the neck and face in a TV and utilities room in Goulburn Supermax, in New South Wales, on May 20.
The Daily Telegraph reported Quami believed the inmate had turned into a rollover witness, though both men have remained silent on the motivation behind the alleged stabbing.
Authorities had kept the pair in the High Risk Management Unit solitary cells, but granted them permission to meet as they were considered to be acquaintances.
Less than a month earlier, Quami and the inmate met without incident.
Farhad Qaumi, 37, allegedly stabbed the 31-year-old prisoner, who cannot be named, repeatedly in the neck and face in a TV and utilities room in Goulburn Supermax on May 20
The Daily Telegraph reported Quami believed the inmate had turned into a rollover witness, though both men have remained silent on the motivation behind the alleged stabbing
Quami – who is currently serving a 60-year jail service for a string of violent crimes, including the 2013 murder of Sydney dad Joe Antoun – and the inmate were led to the room in handcuffs at 9am.
Police allege prison staff removed Quami’s shackles through a hole in the room door, before the inmate pulled a shiv from his pocket.
The fellow inmate is understood to have raised his arms to protect himself during the alleged stabbing.
Quami then allegedly placed the weapon on the table, knelt down onto his knees and places his hands in the air as officers stormed the cell.
The inmate refused anything beyond basic care from medical staff and has remained silent on the matter.
Qaumi has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, reckless grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and armed with intent commit indictable offence.
‘The younger man sustained lacerations to his face and neck, while the older man was not injured,’ a NSW Police spokeswoman said around the time of the incident.
‘Both were treated by on-site medical staff.’
Quami’s lawyer Simon Joyner said he would wait for CCTV vision from the day before he decided how to proceed with the case.
‘I am waiting to be served with CCTV material from the police at which time I will speak with Mr Qaumi about how we will proceed with the case.’
Qaumi was jailed for at least 43 years for a ‘violent underworld rampage’ throughout Sydney’s west in 2013 involving his two brothers and Brothers 4 Life gang members.
Those crimes included the murder of Antoun – who was shot five times after opening the front door to his home, with his daughters just inside – and the manslaughter of Mumtaz Qaumi, 32.
Since it opened in September 2001 there have been no escapes from Supermax
The High Risk Management Correctional Centre sits within the Goulburn prison complex. It may be the country’s most secure prison but it is on the doorstep of houses and farming land
Describing the violence as ‘outlandish and lawless’, Justice Peter Hamill also jailed his brothers Mumtaz, 32, for at least 36 years and Jamil, 25, for at least 21 years for their role in some of the crimes.
Corrective Services NSW said Qaumi and the other inmate were the only two inmates inside the multi-purpose room at the time, as is procedure.
Qaumi will face Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, August 12.
The violent fight comes less than two years after a similar brawl between Brothers 4 Life founder Bassam Hamzy and convicted terrorist Talal Alameddine in an exercise yard of the high-security wing.
The heritage-listed main entrance to Goulburn Correctional Centre, formerly known as Goulburn Gaol, Goulburn Reformatory and Goulburn Training Centre. It opened in 1884