In a dramatic new development that has gripped both Australian and Vietnamese authorities, shocking footage has been released showing the two suspected hitmen chained to chairs shortly after their capture in Vietnam over the brazen daylight-style execution of Sydney gangster Lorenzo Lemalu.
Vietnamese police have revealed that the pair were allegedly acting “under the direction of an individual abroad” when they carried out the targeted shooting that claimed the life of the 24-year-old Sydney underworld figure in Ho Chi Minh City last week.
The suspects, Samoan nationals identified as Steve Tafia and Vaa Vaa, were dramatically tracked down and arrested near the Vietnam-Cambodia border on Monday — just under 72 hours after the ᴅᴇᴀᴅly incident.
Newly released footage shows the two men sitting chained to chairs as they are questioned by authorities, providing a stark visual of the swift justice delivered by Vietnamese police. In an official social media post translated into English on Tuesday afternoon, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security stated that the two suspects had flown into Tan Son Nhat International Airport on May 14. They then spent several days carefully “studying the modus operandi” of their targets before striking on the night of May 21.
Authorities say the men have “initially confessed to all their criminal acts,” admitting they carried out the shooting under orders from an overseas contact.
The victims were Lorenzo Lemalu, 24, and his ᴀssociate Sam Sauni, 27, both Australian nationals. The pair were standing with friends outside the popular Cee’f seafood restaurant on Truong Dinh Street in the bustling Ben Thanh Ward when the attack occurred on Thursday night. Lemalu was sH๏τ twice and died on the spot, while Mr Sauni was struck once and remains in hospital receiving intensive treatment.
The Ministry also announced it is seeking the arrests of at least seven Vietnamese nationals accused of failing to report the crime and ᴀssisting the two perpetrators in their desperate attempt to escape.
“Currently, the City Police are continuing to expand the investigation and will strictly and thoroughly prosecute all related individuals,” the official statement concluded.
This high-profile case has drawn intense international attention, highlighting how a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly gang feud from Sydney’s criminal underworld allegedly spilled over into the heart of Vietnam’s largest city. The rapid 72-hour manhunt and arrest have been praised as a major success for Ho Chi Minh City Police, demonstrating their ability to swiftly track and apprehend foreign suspects operating on Vietnamese soil. Authorities continue to dig deeper into the overseas connections behind the ᴀssᴀssination as the investigation widens.