Four women are on trial for an alleged revenge killing after a Wellington man was fatally shot in the back as he slept.
Prosecutors say the murder was retaliation against Rau Tongia, 33, after he had assaulted one of the women earlier in the night, in December 2020.
The trial began in the Wellington High Court this morning. The group of women face various charges, including murder and accessory to murder.
Shayde Carolyn Weston. Photo / Juan Zarama Perini
Shayde Carolyn Weston, Breeze Hunt-Weston, Louise Kelly Hume, and Pania Ella Waaka have all pleaded not guilty to murder. Hunt-Weston has also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of accessory after the fact to murder, and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
A fifth person who was due to go on trial is no longer present. Judge Andru Isaac told the jury she was no longer joining this trial due to health issues.
Some of the defendants are alleged to have driven other defendants to commit the killing, while others are accused of having helped to conceal evidence, or providing vehicles and other means to help other defendants.
Breeze Hunt-Weston. Photo / Juan Zarama Perini
Shayde Weston is accused of being the person who fired the killing shot, while Waaka is accused of driving her to the scene to commit the murder.
In court today, Crown prosecutor Sally Carter laid out the Crown case before the jury, saying each person was liable of murder for their alleged involvement in the incident.
She explained Weston had been seen kissing Tongia’s partner, and that Tongia was upset about it.
Weston later emerged from a room with facial injuries and said Tongia attacked her while she was sleeping, Carter said.
Others, including her sister, Breeze Hunt-Weston, picked Weston up and took her elsewhere.
Louise Kelly Hume. Photo / Juan Zarama Perini
In the hours between the assault and the killing, Weston, Hunt-Weston and others came back to the property allegedly armed with a knife and a hammer and had an altercation on the driveway.
Carter said Hunt-Weston smashed Tongia over the head with the hammer in retaliation for the earlier assault.
“You will hear Shayde Weston left and ... made threats to return,” Carter said.
Pania Ella Waaka. Photo / Juan Zarama Perini
She said Waaka then drove Weston back to the property, and Weston went up the side of the property and accessed Tongia’s bedroom through a sliding door. She is then said to have shot him in the back as he slept.
Carter said the Crown didn’t condone Tongia’s actions when he became upset about Weston kissing his partner.
“He shouldn’t have died for that. The law doesn’t justify that killing.”
She outlined messages between some of the defendants, including to and from the woman who has withdrawn from the trial for health reasons.
She allegedly sent messages telling others to “kill him” and saying “get this c***”.
There are 13 lawyers in today’s trial, which is set down to take up to eight weeks.
The trial continues.
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