Ede, 37, made the claim during an appearance at the County Koori Court – a specialist sentencing court that operates as division of the County Court – on 1 February while discussing his case with Judge David Sexton and Indigenous Elders Aunty Michelle Winters and Uncle Wally Harrison.
Police allege Ede planned the robbery – which took place in April 2020 – with his friend Karl Kachami, 48, who is currently serving a four-year sentence for his role in the crime. While Kachami led police to a cache of stolen goods and money, more than $300,000 remains unaccounted for.
Ede was arrested in May and initially protested his innocence, before pleading guilty to aggravated robbery and theft in October 2020.
The Age quotes Ede as saying MGC director Michael Kukulka was “the world’s worst boss”, adding, “It was a toxic environment from people who worked there, mainly the boss. Just the pressure he put on, the bullying – some of it racial... I felt quite trapped.”
Ede also claimed his wages had been reduced due to COVID-19 while his hours remained the same, leaving the married father-of-three in “a dark place”.
Mark Stanarevic, a legal representative for Kukulka, told The Age, “What the defendant says in their own mitigation, our client denies all of the allegations categorically.”
Kukulka viewed Ede’s County Koori Court appearance via video link. In his victim impact statement – which was read at an earlier hearing – Kukulka claimed to have known Ede for 15 years and said the crime had robbed him of his “faith in mateship”.
At Kachami’s sentencing in November, Judge Howard Mason also noted the event had caused Kukulka shock, turmoil, anxiety and a loss of reputation.
The Age reports that despite his claims of a negative work environment, Ede said he did not see himself as “a victim” and admitted that the robbery was “disgraceful”, adding, “Unfortunately I cannot turn back time and, moving forward, I would like to put things right.”
Uncle Wally Harrison and Aunty Michelle Winters both condemned his actions, with the latter saying, “We don’t want to see this type of behaviour in our community.”
Ede was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on 15 February.
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