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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Blake Foden

Alleged bikie boss killer pleads not guilty to murder

Canberra Comanchero commander Pitasoni Ulavalu, who was killed in a brawl at Kokomo's on July 19. Picture: Facebook

A Sydney man accused of fatally stabbing a Canberra bikie boss in the neck during a wild nightclub brawl has pleaded not guilty to murder.

Frederick Elijah Mercy Tuifua, 26, was charged earlier this month, following the death of Canberra Comanchero commander Pitasoni Ulavalu at Kokomo's in Civic on July 19.

A lawyer representing Mr Tuifua, who is from Silverwater in western Sydney, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court via phone on Tuesday morning and entered the not guilty plea.

The alleged killer has been behind bars on remand since his arrest at a hospital emergency department in Canberra in the early hours of August 5.

A knife described by police as the suspected murder weapon is removed from a drain in Turner earlier this month. Pictures: ACT Policing

Police have said Mr Tuifua was taken into custody that morning after he turned up at the hospital with Matthew Kupu, Osaiasi Avanua Sydney Kupu and Maximilian Ellis Kurt Budack.

Mr Budack had been shot three times in an incident that remains under investigation, and he required emergency surgery.

He and the Kupus have been charged with affray in relation to the Kokomo's brawl, and the trio entered pleas of not guilty through counsel on Tuesday morning.

Magistrate Beth Campbell remanded all four of the defendants in custody to appear in court again on November 3.

Two other men who have also been charged with affray are yet to enter pleas and are expected in court on Thursday. Their names cannot be published because of court orders.

Police earlier this month found a knife, described by officers as the suspected murder weapon, hidden in a stormwater drain in Turner.

In announcing the discovery, detectives indicated that the investigation was far from over.

Detective Superintendent Scott Moller said at the time that investigators expected to make further arrests and lay more charges in relation to the Kokomo's fight.

"This is a horrific incident that happened in public view," he said.

"As police, we're not going to stand and let this happen in our community.

"We will continue to do everything we can to investigate and put the people responsible before the courts."

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