A man who helped transport two men to a possible mistaken-identity killing has been convicted of murder after prosecutors successfully argued he knew about the deadly plan.
Taha Sabbagh, 40, was shot four times through the windshield and six times through the driver's side door of his black Mercedes Benz during the attack in March 2023.
He was parked outside the Elite Fight Force Gym at Sefton in Sydney's west at the time of the early morning shooting.
Le Nghia "Andy" Pham, 27, was found guilty of murder by a NSW Supreme Court jury on Thursday despite not being the one who pulled the trigger.
Crown prosecutor Christopher Taylor convinced the jury Pham was part of a joint agreement to commit the murder by locating vehicles, transporting the shooter and another man, and waiting to pick up the two men after the killing.
Mr Sabbagh did not have any criminal connections but drove a black Mercedes Benz that was the same colour and model, and had a similar number plate to the gym's owner, the court was told.
“It's possible that the shooter got the wrong bloke," Mr Taylor said during the trial.
The 27-year-old admitted to helping the two unidentified men, who he said had left Australia for Vietnam, but claimed he did not know they were planning a shooting.
The murder occurred in front of a child, who witnessed a masked man in a hoodie get out of a nearby car, fire the gun and then flee in the same vehicle.
Mr Sabbagh had driven to the gym and was waiting in the car park for the doors to open when the incident occurred.
Pham received $20,000 for his assistance, the court heard.
The 27-year-old was arrested at Sydney International Airport in April 2023 on his way to Vietnam after making an emergency application for a passport and destroying his phone.
He will face a sentence hearing on February 28, 2025.
