A third man has been charged over the alleged retaliation killing of Berkeley man Darko Janceski.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police swooped on a Horsley home early yesterday morning and arrested a 25-year-old man in connection with Mr Janceski’s alleged murder.
Detectives revealed for the first time on Tuesday that they would allege Mr Janceski’s shooting death was payback for the suspected murder of Unanderra man Goran Nikolovski.
Mr Janceski, 32, was gunned down outside his parents’ Gannet Avenue home on April 14 last year, five months after Mr Nikolovski’s sudden disappearance.
Detectives claim the man arrested yesterday was involved in the lead-up to Mr Janceski’s death.
He was charged yesterday afternoon with being an accessory to murder and participating in a criminal group and is set to appear in Wollongong Local Court today. Yesterday’s arrest came just hours before the two other men accused of Mr Janceski’s murder fronted court.
Blackbutt man Matthew Paul Wiggins, dressed in a printed white T-shirt and tracksuit pants, appeared first, entering the packed courtroom around 10.30am.
He has been charged with murdering Mr Janceski and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Janceski’s father. The 24-year-old was flanked by three corrective services officers while his matter was briefly mentioned.
Solicitor Bill Zahr, acting for Wiggins, requested a one-week adjournment so he could seek advice from his client.
Mr Zahr told the court he had only just come into the matter and needed time to get instructions.
Magistrate Geraldine Beattie formally refused Wiggins bail and adjourned the matter to January 23.
Cordeaux Heights man Robert Nikolovski, who has been charged with soliciting Mr Janceski’s murder, chose not to appear in court yesterday.
Solicitor James Howell, representing the 38-year-old, told the court Nikolovski did not wish to be brought up from the cells.
He foreshadowed a bid for bail on his client’s behalf but said he needed extra time to prepare the application.
Nikolovski is expected to apply for bail in Wollongong Local Court today. He remained behind bars last night, pending today’s application.
Mr Janceski’s death, along with the shooting of Lake Heights man Saso Ristevski and Mr Nikolovski’s disappearance, have been under investigation by Strike Force Calligan, led by detectives from the homicide squad with assistance from Lake Illawarra and Wollongong police.
Lead investigator Detective Inspector David Laidlaw told the Mercury on Tuesday police would allege Mr Janceski’s killers believed he was linked to the murder of 35-year-old Mr Nikolovski.
Detectives were also confident of making future arrests over the murders of Mr Nikolovski and Saso Ristevski.
Mr Ristevski was fatally shot at his parents’ Lake Heights home on September 28, 2011. Further arrests are also expected this week.
