A man who stole $3.2 million from a Melbourne gold dealer during a staged hold-up has told a court he used to be racially abused and bullied by his former employer, whom he said was known as “the world’s worst boss”.
Daniel Ede and Karl Kachami were in cahoots on April 27 last year when the latter pointed a pistol at his friend inside the Melbourne Gold Company and walked out with gold bullion, cash and jewellery.
The Melbourne Gold Company in the hours after the robbery.Credit:Justin McManus
Ede was a manager at the Collins Street business and arranged for Kachami to enter posing as a delivery man, wearing a surgical mask, goggles, an orange high-visibility shirt and carrying a Glock pistol.
Despite the impression that Kachami was the bandit and Ede the victim, police quickly established they were a team. Prosecutor David Cordy told the County Court on Monday that CCTV footage showed Ede signalling to Kachami to pull the gun out and that the pistol didn’t have an ammunition magazine.
Ede also motioned to a safe holding $4 million worth of gold bullion and $600,000 cash, but “Kachami did not appear to take the hint and did not take the safe”, Mr Cordy said.
But Kachami still loaded a huge haul onto a trolley and walked out with more than 25 kilograms of gold, jewellery and cash, making the heist one of the largest in Victorian history.
Most of the loot has since been recovered, but $333,420 in cash remains missing.
Kachami, 48, was arrested two days later and was last year jailed for four years, to serve two years before he is eligible for parole, after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary, theft and a firearm offence.
Ede, 37, on Monday fronted the County Koori Court, where the Indigenous man discussed his case with two community elders. The Koori court is less formal than typical hearings, with the accused and the judge seated at the bar table and the elders taking a lead in discussing the crime, its impact and the accused.
Karl Kachami was jailed for four years.Credit:Angela Wylie
Ede told judge David Sexton and two elders he was sorry but explained he was in a “dark place” at the time, partly brought on from unhappiness at work.
“It was a toxic environment from people who worked there, mainly the boss,” Ede said when questioned by elder Michelle Winters, referred to in court as Aunty Michelle.
Ede acknowledged Melbourne Gold Company owner Michael Kukulka was the victim of crime, but accused his former boss of bullying, racial abuse and cutting his wages.
“He has been described as the world’s worst boss,” Ede said of Mr Kukulka.
“Just the pressure he put on, the bullying – some of it racial … I felt quite trapped.”
Mr Kukulka, who watched the hearing on a video link and chose not to have his victim impact statement read to court, later told The Age he denied all the allegations made. He said Ede had played “the racial card”.
“We deny all the allegations of abuse in the workplace,” Mr Kukulka said.
Mr Kukulka’s lawyer, Mark Stanarevic, also told The Age: “What the defendant says in their own mitigation, our client denies all of the allegations categorically.”
During the hearing, elder Wally Harrison also challenged Ede on the allegations he raised.
“Today you’re in the County Court saying you’re the victim,” Uncle Wally said.
Ede: “I don’t see myself as a victim.”
Uncle Wally: “Good.”
Aunty Michelle told Ede that he had to learn to better handle stress and pressure.
“We don’t want that in our community,” she said of his crime.
“We don’t want this type of behaviour, we won’t support this type of behaviour at all.”
Ede said his actions had brought embarrassment and shame to his family, friends and community, that he was sorry, that he had to accept responsibility for his role and had to serve his punishment.
“It’s disgraceful really. Unfortunately I cannot turn back time and, moving forward, I would like to put things right,” he said.
Uncle Wally told Ede he hoped to see him in the community as a reformed man.
“I hope to see you again, Daniel, but not like this,” he said.
Ede, a father of three who has pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and theft, was remanded in custody to return to court on February 15.
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