Ahmed Hablas, 21, is scheduled to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 11, charged with the murder of Hoppers Crossing man Mohammed Haddara on June 20 last year.

Mr Haddara, 28, was a spray painter and panel beater with two young children and a third on the way.

He died from multiple gunshot wounds in Fifth Avenue, Altona North.

In this newspaper on June 16, a police taskforce established to curb suburban shootings came under fire for not having made an arrest over Mr Haddara's death.

The Santiago taskforce, established in 2008, is also investigating the shooting of Mr Haddara's cousin, Sam Haddara, 18, in Chambers Road, Altona North, on June 6.

On July 31 last year, Hablas was the victim of a drive-by shooting outside Altona North McDonald's.

Hablas was charged by homicide squad detectives on Monday morning as he was about to flee the country.

His barrister, Alan Swanwick, said his client's life was in danger. "He wanted to leave Australia because his life was under threat."

No application for bail was made on Monday.