Prosecutors are reviewing more than 1,500 witness statements and hundreds of hours of CCTV as they prepare their case against Bondi Beach terror attack suspect Naveed Akram.
The 25-year-old and his father Sajid – who was shot dead at the scene by police – allegedly killed 15 people after opening fire at a Chanukah celebration last year in Sydney, Australia.
At a Sydney court on Wednesday, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions was granted more time to prepare its case against Akram.
In a public update, the agency said it had enough evidence to assess the charges, but needed more time to complete that process and consult with victims.
Certification is a routine part of Australian court proceedings in which the prosecution confirms which charges will move ahead.
The case was adjourned until February 24.
Akram, who is being held in a maximum-security prison in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), has yet to enter a plea to 78 charges, which include 15 counts of murder, 43 of attempted murder and one of committing a terrorist act.
NSW Police allege the father and son parked their vehicle near a footbridge overlooking Archer Park at Bondi on the evening of December 14 before opening fire.
Two officers and dozens of people were injured during the incident.
Among the victims was London-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, a father of five and assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi.
Court documents previously showed police alleged Sajid and Naveed Akram visited the area for “reconnaissance and planning” in the days before the attack.
Police have also accused the pair of conducting firearms training in the Australian countryside.
The delay in the case came as Australian police charged another man over allegedly claiming he had been injured in the massacre and seeking compensation.
NSW Police said they arrested the 46-year-old man and charged him with publishing false or misleading material to obtain an advantage and with false representation which led to a police investigation.
He was bailed to appear in court in Parramatta, in Sydney’s western suburbs, in November.
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