Mob boss talked to police after killing

A Mongrel Mob chapter president told police members of the gang were ignoring his orders at the time a Mobster was killed.

The trial of five men accused of murdering Codi Wilkinson in the High Court at Palmerston North focused yesterday on statements Jeremiah Su’a made to police after Wilkinson’s death.

Mariota and Jeremiah Su’a, Dean Arthur Jennings, Quentin Joseph Moananui and Jason David Signal deny murdering Wilkinson, kidnapping him and his friend Kyle Rowe, wounding Rowe with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and participating in an organised criminal group.

Wilkinson was found dead in Bunnythorpe in September 2019.

Police and the Crown say Wilkinson died after he and Rowe, both Mongrel Mob members, robbed a drug dealer of cash and methamphetamine.

Senior Mobsters then assaulted the two while kicking them out of the Mob, the Crown says.

Jeremiah Su’a has been described by witnesses as the president of a Mongrel Mob chapter, with some saying the chapter was of Mongrel Mob Aotearoa or Mongrel Mob Manawatu¯.

It was something he reaffirmed when giving statements to police in October 2019, including during a video interview after his arrest that went for about six hours.

The full video was played in court yesterday.

Jeremiah Su’a said there were changes while he was in prison – he was on parole at the time of Wilkinson’s death – especially in the attitude of some Mobsters.

He had wanted to ‘‘keep the peace’’ in the community, but some members had staged an attempted coup of the Mob chapter he headed.

‘‘I feel I have not been listened to by ones with hidden agendas.

‘‘They are going off doing what they want to do.’’

The gang’s presence in Manawatu¯ had swelled at the time, with members of the Riders, Aotearoa, Notorious, Kingdom, Whanganui and Wairoa chapters settling in the area, he said.

He would take responsibility for the actions of Mobsters under his chapter, but not if those actions went against orders, he said.

‘‘It is a big disappointment to see how they are.’’

He did not know Wilkinson well, but described him as someone who would do their own thing.

He heard rumours about what happened to him, but was not able to find out exactly because his parole included a condition to not associate with Mobsters. He was, however, able to be involved with Mobsters who were family, such as his brothers Sovite and Mariota Su’a and his son Waldo Su’a.

The trial continues.