Sajid Akram’s property transferred to wife Verna before Bondi shooting as questions over planning remain

The Bondi Beach terrorist who was shot dead by NSW Police reportedly transferred ownership of the family home exclusively to his wife before the deadly shooting.

The Bonnyrigg property, which Sajid and Verna Akram purchased in August 2016, was transferred solely into Verna’s name in February 2024.

The home, which was reportedly originally purchased for $700,000, was transferred to Verna at a value of $477,500, according to the Daily Telegraph.

If any victims of the Bondi attack were to launch civil action against Sajid’s estate, assets from the home would not be available due to its ownership by Verna.

NSW Police have not identified Verna as a person of interest, and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing or that she was aware of a planned attack.

Since the shooting, Verna has spoken out, saying her son Naveed, the alleged 24-year-old gunman, was a “good boy”, and expressed shock that her family were involved.

She told the Sydney Morning Herald that her son phoned her claiming to be on a weekend away in Jervis Bay on the NSW south coast before the shooting.

However, Naveed was not on a weekend away, he was sighted on CCTV in Campsie, in Sydney’s inner west, exiting an Airbnb around 90 minutes before the Bondi terror attack.

The revaluation of the property exchange comes as authorities investigate to motive of the fatal Bondi terror attack, including how long it may have been in the planning.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon on Tuesday confirmed that Sajid and Naveed Akram travelled to the Philippines in November.

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the shooting appeared to potentially be ISIS-inspired.

At the scene of the terror attack, NSW Police located two homemade ISIS flags and two homemade improvised explosive devices.

There are reports that evidence has been located that could indicate the attack had been planned for some time, however, NSW Police have not commented on this alleged discovery yet.

Authorities are understood to be investigating what the Akrams did in the Philippines, specifically Mindanao, and the reports that they received “military training”, possibly from an Islamic State of East Asia (ISEA) camp.

On Tuesday night, officials from the Philippines confirmed that the Akrams entered the country with Indian passports.

Philippine Police are expected to share more information on Wednesday.

Speaking on Tuesday, Telangana State Police said: “The family members have expressed no knowledge of his (Sajid’s) radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances ‌that led to his radicalisation.”

On Tuesday, Naveed, who has not been charged, woke from a coma in a NSW hospital.

Speaking to Sydney radio station 2GB on Wednesday, the NSW Police Commissioner confirmed that police were questioning the alleged shooter.