The violent shooting which saw John Ibrahim’s loyal bodyguard ‘Tongan Sam’ take a bullet to the back may have been an attempt to halt a wedding which saw the Ibrahim and Mehajer family’s merge on Saturday evening.
The feared enforcer, whose real name is Semi Ngata, was shot outside of the Ibrahim family’s home in Sydney’s west on Friday evening at 10.25 after intruders allegedly aimed over the back fence.
Bride-to-be Aisha Mehajer was reportedly with another woman in the backyard to help set up her wedding to John Ibrahim’s nephew Sam, the Daily Telegraph writes.
The impending nuptials, which ultimately went ahead, were due to commence just 24 hours after the shooting.
Police are investigating whether a ‘falling-out’ between the two high-profile families played any part in the shooting, the Daily Telegraph reports.
A spokesman for disgraced former deputy mayor of Auburn, Salim Mehajer, has denied any suggestion of a dispute between his family and the Ibrahims, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting any of the Mehajer or Ibrahim family had any involvement in the shooting.
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 (pictured)
Outside police with flashlights are checking parked cars for any clues into the brazen shooting that happened their hours earlier (pictured)
On Instagram Ms Sakalaki wrote: ‘I can’t believe my baby sister is getting married today! I love you so much Aishy #feelingemotional’
On Saturday night a small selection of guests attended the Ibrahim and Mehajer wedding, as was originally planned.
A photo of the happy couple smiling adoringly was released by Salim Mehajer’s sister Kat Sakalaki, as Aisha and Sam can be 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.
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 into the brazen shooting.
The authorities could hardly be seen in the dead of night as they scanned the selection of wedding cars lining Price Street in Merrylands.
The authorities can hardly be seen in the dead of night as they scan the selection of wedding cars lining Price Street in Merrylands
Guests were seen around the house all afternoon as they helped organise the impending wedding
The wedding comes just hours after bodyguard Semi Ngata was gunned down outside John Ibrahim’s mother’s home
The names of the couple were etched on a pavement outside the Ibrahim’s family home ahead of the ceremony on Saturday
The overcast skies made for a perfect indoor wedding as guests arrived dressed in coats
Guests walk into the premises as the sun goes down and police scour cars for any evidence
Did someone say gifts? This guest of the wedding was seen carrying a David Jones bag into the house
Police were reportedly out in numbers – driving up and down surrounding streets in marked and unmarked cars – in case of any ‘retaliation attack’, 7 News reported.
Chief Inspector Bradfield Peters said the shooting was a ‘brazen’ attack and certainly not ‘random’.
‘A number of police will be deployed tonight to ensure that the community is safe.’
Meanwhile guests could be seen arriving all afternoon, some laden with gifts, to celebrate the young couple’s nuptials.
On Instagram Ms Sakalaki wrote: ‘I can’t believe my baby sister is getting married today! I love you so much Aishy #feelingemotional.’
The wedding came less than a day after bodyguard Semi Ngata was gunned down outside John Ibrahim’s mother’s home.
The names of the couple were etched on a pavement outside the Ibrahim’s family home ahead of the ceremony on Saturday.
It is believed Sam is the son of Maha Ibrahim, who is John’s sister.
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, the day before a wedding due to take place between a nephew of John Ibrahim and a sister of disgraced former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer
The names of the couple were etched on a pavement outside John Ibrahim’s mother’s home ahead of the ceremony (pictured)
Armed police scoured drains and nearby streets on Saturday as 59-year-old Tongan Sam remained in a serious but stable condition at Westmead Hospital.
His wife has been keeping a bedside vigil and told reporters ‘he was doing OK’.
A wedding was due to take place at the property today between the former Auburn deputy mayor’s sister Aisha (pictured) and John’s nephew Sam
NSW Police chief inspector Bradfield Peters previously said police were unable to speculate whether the wedding and shooting were linked.
He said: ‘We’ve only just found out that there may have been a wedding planned for today.
‘But whether there’s any link to what occurred last night, I can’t speculate.’
Chief inspector Peters say police believed the shooting took place in a backyard after intruders entered the home.
‘If that’s exactly what occurred then it is certainly brazen,’ he said.
‘We believe that it’s certainly not random and that it was targeted.’
Officers said they were investigating whether more than one bullet had been used in the shooting on Price Street but couldn’t say whether it was a drive-by attack.
They are also looking into whether a burnt-out car found on Rees Street in nearby Mays Hill is linked to the shooting.
A police spokeswoman said: ‘We’ve got detectives canvassing the area and investigations are ongoing.
‘We are looking at that as a line of inquiry but it’s not been confirmed at this stage if it’s linked.’
Tongan Sam has undergone surgery in hospital but has refused to cooperate with police. No arrests have been made.
He 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 his boss was shown in 2014 when he was pictured wearing a T-shirt with John’s face emblazoned across it.
The shooting comes just weeks after Ibrahim brothers Fadi and Michael were detained in a dramatic police sting in Dubai and extradited back to Australia over a drug and tobacco syndicate.
A heavy police presence is expected at the wedding on Saturday of Aiisha (pictured with her brother Salim) amid fears of revenge and retaliation
Despite the shooting on Friday evening friends and family gathered to lay out chairs ahead of the ceremony on Saturday
A wedding was due to take place at the property today between the former Auburn deputy mayor’s sister Aisha and John’s nephew Sam
People could be seen arriving at the home with boxes full of decorations, with a wedding due to take place later in the day
As police continued to investigate the shooting people began to arrive at the home with flowers and wedding decorations
Price Street in Merrylands was the scene of a shooting overnight, with a wedding between a members of the Ibrahim and Mehajer families due to take place on Saturday
Guests shake hands with each other outside the Ibrahim residence in Merrylands
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
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 the 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.
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 while a teenager.
Armed police searched the streets outside John Ibrahim’s mother’s home (pictured) in Merrylands on Saturday morning
Media and neighbours gathered outside the Merrylands home (pictured) owned by John Ibrahim’s mother on Saturday morning
Tongan Sam (left with Fadi Ibrahim and Salim Mehajer) was taken to Westmead Hospital, where he is in a serious condition
Police were seen combing the streets around the home of where the shooting took place on Friday evening
Police searched streets around the spot where John Ibrahim’s bodyguard Tongan Sam was shot
After Tongan Sam was shot in the back on Friday night police set up a crime scene, continuing to search the area on Saturday morning (pictured)
Police (pictured)searched bins on the street near John Ibrahim’s mother’s home in Merrylands
Police walked down the streets of Merrylands in a line after the shooting of John Ibrahim’s bodyguard Semi Ngata on Friday night
Officers are also looking into whether a burnt-out car (pictured) found nearby is linked to the shooting
Pictured is a loaded 9mm semi-automatic Beretta handgun seized from the home of John Ibrahim’s mother during raids in August 2017
Officers are also looking into whether a burnt-out car found nearby is linked to the shooting (pictured is Tongan Sam, centre, with Sam Ibrahim, left, and lawyer Stephen Alexander, right, outside court in 2009)
Pictured is the Merryland’s home owned by John Ibrahim’s mother being searched during a police operation in August