‘Key witness’ set to face compulsory questioning in case against four men over alleged $6.6m building company extortion

The key witness in a police case against four men accused of extorting $6.6 million from a building company has refused to answer questions, a court has been told. Daniel Van Camp, 51, Amir Teymoori, 45, Gazanfer Bekirovski, 46, and Travers Grubb, 44, were charged by police with extortion in October last year. Each has also been accused of refusing to comply with a data access order by not providing a passcode to an electronic device. The quartet appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for a committal mention on the charges. Barrister Damien Shields, for Mr Teymoori, told the court the prosecution had, last week, sought court approval to compel a “key witness” to face questioning. Mr Shields said the unnamed man had “refused to make a statement” and argued it was appropriate to adjourn the case until after the questioning had taken place and lawyers were given a transcript to read. “No one knows what he’s going to say … it could be pivotal,” he said. Mr Shields added that depending on what the man said, his “business partner” could be sought for questioning. Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge approved the request, adjourning the case against the four men for a month. Police allege the four men “falsely claimed” to be mediators between the building company and the CFMEU, before sending the company a $6.6 million invoice. “Investigators will allege those involved falsely claimed to have acted as mediators between the company and union officials, purporting to have negotiated on their behalf to prevent disruptions at the company’s building sites,” Victoria Police said in October. “The company was then sent an invoice for $6.6 million and allegedly extorted.” According to charge sheets released by the court, it’s alleged each of the accused men made a demand of a redacted individual on December 13, 2024, with threats to kill. Charges against the four men were laid by detectives from Victoria Police’s Taskforce Hawk – which was set up to probe allegations of criminal behaviour linked to the construction industry. Mr Van Camp, Mr Teymoori, Mr Bekirovski and Mr Grubb had their bail extended until they return to court on February 26.