Police investigators examining the horrific Bondi Beach massacre that claimed fifteen lives now believe the estranged wife of attacker Sajid Akram may have played a crucial role in restraining her husband and son before their alleged radicalisation. According to sources close to the ongoing inquiry, Venera Akram might have kept the pair 'in check' while they all lived together under the same roof in the family home in Bonnyrigg, located in Sydney's western suburbs.
Family Dynamics Before the Attack
Venera Akram, who was separated but not formally divorced from Sajid Akram at the time of the December 14th attack, continues to reside at the Bonnyrigg property. Police theory suggests that after the father and son moved out approximately six months prior to the deadly incident, they became increasingly radicalised. This period of separation appears to mark a significant turning point in the timeline leading up to the tragedy.
'The belief is that while they were living under the same roof as the mum and wife, she kept them in check,' a confidential police source revealed to media outlets. This insight forms part of the broader investigation into how the two men allegedly progressed toward violent extremism.
International Travel Under Scrutiny
Detectives are paying particular attention to the Akrams' international movements in the years preceding the attack. A four-week trip to the Philippines in November has become a focal point of the probe. While initial reports suggested the pair barely left their hotel room in Davao City on Mindanao island, investigators reportedly find this narrative difficult to accept at face value.
Overseas journeys undertaken both separately and together by Sajid and Naveed Akram have now become central to understanding their alleged path to radicalisation. This alleged progression toward extremism is expected to feature prominently in the evidence presented when Naveed Akram faces trial.
Legal Proceedings and Family Matters
Twenty-four-year-old Naveed Akram remains in custody at Goulburn Supermax prison, facing fifty-nine serious charges including fifteen counts of murder. He has yet to enter formal pleas to these allegations. His father, Sajid Akram, aged fifty, was shot and killed by police officers during the Bondi Beach attack.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Venera Akram contacted police assistance lines just six days after the massacre, reportedly seeking financial support. Authorities confirmed that no such assistance was provided. Despite earlier reports that Akram's family refused to claim his body, Ms Akram ultimately received her husband's remains as next of kin and arranged for his burial.
The funeral took place at a cemetery in western Sydney, where a local undertaker conducted a basic service following Islamic rites. It remains unclear whether Venera Akram attended the burial ceremony personally.
Property Transfer and Investigation
The family home in Bonnyrigg, now solely owned by Venera Akram following a property transfer completed almost two years before the attack, was raided by tactical police units on the night of the massacre. Sajid Akram's decision to transfer the million-dollar property into his wife's name means the asset is protected from potential compensation claims by victims' families seeking restitution from his estate.
Police have emphasised that there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Venera Akram or other family members. The investigation continues to explore all aspects of the case as authorities work to understand the full context of the Bondi Beach tragedy that shocked the nation.
