Apple farmer, 86, who fought to defend his wife from home invaders was allegedly bashed to death ‘by his nephews who knew he had a safe full of cash hidden under the floorboards’
- Kalim Saliba was allegedly bashed to death
- Nephews were charged with murder
Orchard owner Kalim Saliba, 86, died after he and his wife were allegedly attacked at their home in Cherrybrook in April, 2020
Two men accused of bashing a pensioner to death in an alleged home invasion three years ago have been revealed to be his relatives.
Orchard owner Kalim Saliba, 86, suffered serious head injuries and died in hospital after he was allegedly attacked by two men who broke into his home in Cherrybrook in Sydney’s north-west on April 29, 2020.
He bravely tried to defend his 83-year-old wife of 60 years, who was also seriously injured in the attack.
NSW Police offered a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest of those involved in December, 2021 and on Wednesday charged two men.
Danny Stephen, 33, was arrested at his home in Castle Hill and Tony Tadrosse, 58, was arrested at Silverwater Correctional Complex.
Tadrosse is Mr Saliba’s nephew and Stephen his great-nephew, and also nephew of Tadrosse, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Both were charged with murder and aggravated breaking and entering. Police said they were also alleged drug dealers facing drug supply charges.
Two men have been arrested over the alleged murder and home invasion of Mr Saliba
Police said in a statement of facts referred to in court that they alleged they had cracked the case using mobile phone pings that allegedly placed the pair near the scene of the crime.
Tadrosse and Stephen allegedly attacked Mr Saliba because they knew he had a safe full of case hidden in his living room floor.
Mr Saliba and his wife were bludgeoned with a ‘wooden-handled weapon with a bulbous head’, the police documents alleged.
Mr Saliba’s family thanked the police force in a statement on Wednesday and said their grief at losing their loved one would stay with them forever.
‘We are extremely thankful to the NSW Police Force for all their diligent hard work and assistance over the past three years. We have full confidence in the investigation team and appreciate their support and hard work,’ the family said.
‘This has understandably been a traumatic and emotional time for our family. We lost a treasured family member, and continue to grieve the loss every day.
‘While the courts process is underway, our family requests privacy at this time.’
At the time of the attack, police said two masked men broke into the couple’s home just after midnight.
Detectives spent months combing through CCTV around the couple’s home in a bid to find their attackers.
Mr Saliba owned the family-run Saliba Fruits apple orchard in the Blue Mountains town of Bilpin.
NSW Police officers are seen arresting a 33-year-old man over the alleged murder of Mr Saliba
NSW Police had offered a $1million reward for information leading to an arrest in relation to Mr Saliba’s death
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