A man suspected of involvement in a number of robberies for which John Papalii has been charged told police he wanted to be caught when he allegedly robbed the same south Canberra supermarket on Boxing Day, a court has heard.
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Sonny Reiner Oeti, 26, of Weetangera, was arrested at Eastlakes Football Club on Thursday afternoon, just hours after he allegedly robbed the Pearce store.
Police said Oeti had gone to the Pearce Foodworks about 1.30pm with what appeared to be a handgun tucked into the top of his pants.
Oeti allegedly lifted his jacket to show the top of the gun to a young employee at the store, and demanded cash and cigarettes. Police allege Oeti was given $429 in cash and three packs of cigarettes before he left the store.
Police said Oeti then allegedly went to buy drugs at Stuart Flats in Griffith after discarding his clothes in a park, and was later arrested in Kingston. A subsequent search of his car allegedly revealed a broken toy gun, which police believe was used in the robbery.
Oeti faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday morning charged with aggravated robbery over the Boxing Day incident.
The prosecution opposed bail and said Oeti was under investigation for suspected involvement in three other robberies committed on December 13.
Two of those robberies were at the same supermarket in Pearce; the third was at a store in Spence. John Papalii, brother of Raiders rugby league player Josh, faced court earlier this month charged over the three incidents.
But the court heard Oeti had told police he chose to return to the Pearce supermarket on Boxing Day and rob it because he wanted to be caught by police.
Detective Sergeant John Giles said Oeti had spoken openly after he was arrested, and told police his wife and children had left him on Christmas Day after an argument, and that he struggled with drug use and gambling.
“Mr Oeti clearly has a lot that’s happening in his life at the moment,” the detective told court.
But he said it was concerning that generally young employees of the same supermarket in Pearce had now been exposed to aggravated robberies on three occasions within the month, and police investigators were under the impression Oeti had been actively avoiding them since the December 13 robberies.
The court heard Oeti, a Samoan national, had been unemployed for about two years, and lived with his parents and, up until Christmas Day, his wife and two children in Weetangera.
Oeti’s lawyer said he represented a low flight risk due to his family roots in the ACT, and was unlikely to reoffend as the incident was more a “cry for help” at a difficult time in his life.
Magistrate Lorraine Walker said that while personal stress had likely affected Oeti’s state, his implication in other matters and the “strong evidence” in this case demonstrated there was a “significant risk” Oeti could reoffend.
Ms Walker denied bail, and said Oeti would remain on remand until his next hearing in January.