Bondi Beach gunman Sajid Akram transferred his million-dollar home to his wife, which will prevent the families of his victims from receiving compensation from his estate.
The transfer in ownership means Akram’s widow Venera will not lose her Bonnyrigg home, in south-west Sydney, if the victims of the terrorist attack launch legal action.
The 50-year-old put the property solely in his wife’s name almost two years before he and son Naveed, 24, allegedly killed 15 innocent people and wounded more than 40 others on Sunday night.
Criminal lawyer Sam Macedone said victims could apply for compensation through the NSW government-funded Victims Support Scheme and separately sue the killer’s estate for damages.
‘But if he has moved everything into his wife’s name and his estate has no assets, then anyone suing him or his estate will get nothing,’ he told The Daily Telegraph.
‘It is the final insult to the victims.
‘He has done this on the basis that if anything happens to him and people sue, they cannot take his wife’s house.’
Former Counter-Terrorism Minister David Elliott said the transfer of ownership in February last year showed the attack was premeditated.
‘This clearly proves in my mind he has been planning this for a long time,’ he said.
‘It would be a safe assumption for him to think that his assets were going to be seized by the state or victims of the crime he was about to commit.’
Sajid and Venera bought the renovated home on Brown Road in August 2016 for $700,000.
The home was advertised as ‘designed to provide effortless family living and entertaining’ and featured an outdoor entertaining area overlooking the saltwater swimming pool.
In February 2024, they transferred the property into Venera’s sole ownership for $477,500.
The three bedroom, one bathroom house is currently estimated to be worth up to $1.1million.
Sajid and his son rented an Airbnb in Campsie before allegedly heading out for their killing spree.
Venera said she thought her husband and son had gone fishing in Jervis Bay.
The father and son arrived at Bondi Beach in a silver car, and got out with rifles and extra ammunition around their waists just before 6.40pm on Sunday.
Standing on a bridge towards the north end of the beach, they allegedly started shooting at crowds of Jewish people celebrating the first day of Hanukkah – killing 15 people, and injuring 42.
Sajid was shot dead by police, while his son was taken to hospital with bullet wounds for emergency surgery.
He regained consciousness on Tuesday night after being in a coma for 48 hours.
It has also been revealed the father and son had visited the Philippines just weeks before the attack, sparking concerns they were following the path of Islamist extremists.
