A Supreme Court jury has convicted three men of murder in the fatal shooting of 57-year-old Anthony Nugent at his Hamilton South apartment unit on September 6, 2022.

Mohamad Raad, Tyrone Tuli, and Mohd Azlan Latham Aznan each pleaded not guilty. After a six-week trial and three days of deliberations, jurors rejected their defenses and found them guilty.

The Motive: A Fake Gun Deal Gone Wrong

Prosecutors presented evidence that Nugent sold a gel blaster—a toy gun firing gel-filled projectiles—for $22,000 the day before the shooting. The buyer soon discovered the scam and launched a search for retribution.

Crown prosecutor Carl Young explained to the jury, “Retribution and payback came quickly because when this trick or scheme was discovered that set in train a series of events.”

Nugent, a known heroin dealer short on cash, borrowed about $2,000 to purchase the gel blaster. He photographed it and advertised a “pistol for sale” two weeks prior to his death. A middleman collected the fake weapon and quickly realized the deception.

Joint Criminal Enterprise and the Shooting

Evidence showed Raad as the shooter, with Tuli and Latham Aznan present at the scene. Prosecutors argued the trio formed a joint criminal enterprise with intent to kill, dismissing claims of an accidental discharge.

Raad’s barrister, Tony Evers, countered that his client fired the shot but lacked intent to kill or inflict grievous bodily harm. Defense lawyers maintained the only goal was recovering the $22,000.

The jury accepted the prosecution’s case, convicting all three of murder.

Next Steps

The men face sentencing on September 4.