In September 2020 our client’s restaurant was broken into and set on fire, resulting in extensive damage.  Our client then lodged an insurance claim of $600,000 to repair the restaurant after the fire.

In 2021, after a lengthy investigation, The Western Australian Police Force arrested our client. The police alleged that our client paid a third party to light the fire, so that our client could obtain an insurance pay-out. The police charged our client with the following offences:

1. Criminal damage by fire, contrary to section 444(1)(a) of the Criminal Code Act Compilation Act 1913 (WA); and
2. Gain benefit by fraud ($600,000), contrary to section 409(1)(c) of the Criminal Code Act Compilation Act 1913 (WA).

For more information, see: Kareem Hassan former owner of Morley Shisha Bar charged with arson, The West Australian, 12 August 2022.

Our client pleaded not guilty and the matter was listed for trial in the District Court of Western Australia.

After receiving the brief of evidence, our Sydney criminal lawyer analyzed the evidence against our client. Our Sydney criminal lawyer then wrote to the Western Australian Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting that they withdraw the charge, on the basis that their main witness (the third party who lit the fire) was not a credible or reliable witness due to evidence that our Sydney criminal lawyer uncovered against him.

2 weeks before the trial was due to commence, the ODPP withdrew all of the charges against our client.