Man charged with murder of mafia lawyer Joseph 'Pino' Acquaro
Melissa Cunningham
By Melissa Cunningham
9 November 2018 — 1:15pm

A man has been charged over the murder of mafia lawyer Joseph “Pino’’ Acquaro who was gunned down not far his Lygon Street cafe Gelobar two years ago.

Homicide squad detectives charged a 69-year-old man from Reservoir on Friday in relation to Mr Acquaro's death in 2016.

The man was arrested in Ringwood about 9.45am on Friday, following an extensive investigation, police said.

He has been charged with one count of murder.

The 69-year-old man will appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court Friday where investigators will seek to have him remanded in custody.

Mr Acquaro - a 54-year-old lawyer who represented several prominent Melbourne gangland and Calabrian crime figures - was shot and killed as he walked to his black Mercedes parked in St Phillip Street, Brunswick East, about 3am on March 15.

A father of three adult sons, Mr Acquaro had just closed his cafe Gelobar when he was shot.

Mr Acquaro was a past president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce, strongly involved with Brunswick's Reggio Calabria club and a passionate advocate of Calabrian culture and business interests in Australia.

He was known to assist disadvantaged members of the Calabrian community, following a tradition started by his father, a respected Melbourne accountant.

But Mr Acquaro also provided legal representation for some of the most notorious Calabrian underworld figures, some reputed to be in the 'Ndrangheta or Honoured Society.

More to come.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/na...joseph-pino-acquaro-20181109-p50f1d.html