The Northland man accused of killing his partner claims to have seen her after she is believed to have died.

Mathew Korewha is on trial in the High Court at Whangarei accused of murdering Barbara Moka and then hiding her body on the banks of a creek.

In a DVD interview played in court, Korewha claims he saw Ms Moka at their residence after her disappearance from Omanaia's Te Piiti Marae.

He claims he followed her down the road but she wanted her space and says he had previously asked family members if they'd seen her.

However, the crown believes Korewha knew where Ms Moka was as she was already long dead by then.