A man accused of a deadly stabbing on a busy inner-western Sydney street will remain behind bars while he waits to return to court.
Sitaleki Filihiahekava, 32, died on Monday night when he was stabbed outside a restaurant on Marrickville Rd at Marrickville, only a few hundred metres from the prime minister’s electorate office.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Man charged with murder over fatal stabbing.
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Jacob Tammer-Spence, 31, was arrested and charged with his murder nearly two days later.
He did not appear when his case was called in Burwood Local Court on Thursday, when the matter was adjourned until late November while police compile a brief of evidence.
Tammer-Spence did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.
Police canvassed CCTV footage from the busy suburban shopping strip during their initial search for the attacker.
Some restaurants had to cease trading in the wake of the stabbing, which occurred about 7.30pm.
Filihiahekava was believed to have dined with his family at a local restaurant before briefly meeting up with another man before he was stabbed, police said.
Family and friends converged on the scene not long after the attack.
“It was a highly emotive crime scene,” acting Superintendent Ben Kennis previously said.
Cards attached to flowers left at the scene on Tuesday morning paid tribute to “Big Leki”, a popular local rugby league player.
“Rest in peace my brother,” one card read.
Supt Kennis said investigators believed the attack was “somewhat targeted”.
“It was not a random attack on Marrickville Rd, the community can be assured of that,” he said.
Mascot Juniors rugby league club paid tribute to the former player following his death.
“Leki was a much-loved player of our club who played with his heart on his sleeve (and always with a joke and a smile), every time he took the field with those he called his brothers,” the club said on social media.
