National

Man charged after photo found of toddler holding pistol

By AAP Newswire

Aug 1, 2023

Esau Namoa arrested after pic found of toddler holding a gun. — Esau Namoa is arrested in Yagoona, Sydney, after police found a picture of a toddler holding a gun. -PR Handout Image

Investigations into one of Sydney's many recent shootings have led police to uncover a disturbing photograph of a toddler holding a pistol.

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Esau Namoa was charged with 13 offences after a police raid at a Yagoona property in the early hours of Tuesday.

Namoa was allegedly pictured also holding weapons alongside the young child.

He was formally refused bail after appearing at Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday afternoon.

The image surfaced during investigations into the shooting death of 24-year-old Marvin Oraiha in Elizabeth Hills in May.

As part of their inquiries, in July police raided seven properties across Sydney and seized a number of items, including a ballistic vest, ammunition and six mobile phones.

Detectives located several images on the phones allegedly showing Namoa holding two pistols in the company of the child, who was holding a third Glock-style pistol.

As a result police arrested Namoa and charged him with a string of firearms-related offences, including possessing an unauthorised pistol, not keeping a firearm safely, and supplying a pistol to a person unauthorised to possess it.