A retired grandfather allegedly paid a Vanuatuan fruit picker to “amputate” his leg with a circular saw in northern Queensland before bleeding to death.
Kalman Tal, 66, has been identified as the man who allegedly paid 36-year-old banana picker John Yalu to saw off his leg in the early hours of Saturday.
Police allege the two men met up at a park shortly before 4am, and as part of the “arrangement” Mr Tal paid Mr Yalu $5000 to saw off his leg below the knee.
It’s alleged Mr Yalu carried Mr Tal back to his car before he fled the scene, with two pedestrians making the grisly discovery a short time later.
Mr Tal died at the scene.
Mr Yalu was charged with murder on Sunday and appeared in Innisfail Magistrates Court on Monday.
The case was adjourned until June.
The circular saw was allegedly owned by Mr Tal, with reports he had been trying for months to convince local fishermen and fruit pickers to cut off his leg.
Mr Tal’s family is reportedly distressed and have demanded privacy.
On Sunday, Detective Acting Inspector Gary Hunter said the incident was dxjmtzywistressing.
“During my 34 years as a police officer, I’ve never experienced a situation as we are presented with here,” he said.
