A new Muslim got his first taste of Islam when four Muslims broke into his house and beat him for drinking alcohol.
The NSW resident Christian Martinez, 31, recently converted to Islam. He went out drinking with his friends on Saturday night, but was woken up on the early hours of Sunday morning, by four Muslims who had broken into his home. Three of them hold Martinez down while the fourth, Tolga Cifci, 20, lashed him 40 times with an electric cable. The four Muslims were caught and charged by the police for break and entry and aggravated assault. Consumption of alcohol in Islam is prohibited.
The court was told Cifci and the three other men whipped the victim because of “religious beliefs” and were enacting sharia. When Mr Cifci was arrested on Monday night, police found in his house the electric cable used to whip Martinez and a hard drive from the victim’s home.
Mr Cifci’s parents, who were also present at yesterday’s hearing, provided the $10,000 payment and $50,000 security bond to assure their son’s release yesterday. He will remain under house arrest with his family as part of his bail conditions.
The second man, 43, surrendered himself at Auburn Police Station yesterday. He was charged with aggravated break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, detaining a person in company with intent to obtain advantage, and two counts of stealing from a dwelling.
The man has been refused bail and will appear in Burwood Local Court today.
Magistrate Tim Keddy told the court the charges against Cifci were “extremely serious and violent” and “if convicted it is highly likely he will be sentenced to a term of imprisonment”.
He ordered Cifci to remain at home unless accompanied by either of his parents and is to report to Auburn Police Station daily.
Police prosecutor told the court Cifci’s actions were a “misconstruction and particularised usage of religious law” used to justify his part in the attack on Martinez.
Cifci’s solicitor Tunc Ozen told the court the accused was “a person of prior good character” but acknowledged his actions would create controversy due to his alleged links to sharia and the Muslim faith. Cifci will reappear in court on September 14.
