Noone could have saved woman, court told

AUCKLAND: A woman allegedly killed by a driver was going to die no matter how bystanders responded because her injuries were ‘‘irretrievable’’, a forensic pathologist says.

Soafa Niumagumagu is on trial in the High Court at Auckland, charged with murdering Sagaia Kaisala (32) with his car.

He is also accused of the attempted murder of his exwife Puapuaga Matamua by stabbing her multiple times moments before Ms Kaisala’s death.

Ms Kaisala had run to Ms Matamua’s aid.

Abdul Riyaz was also allegedly hit by Niumagumagu’s car. He suffered serious injuries.

It is alleged the violent string of events took place over a matter of minutes outside the trio’s workplace, Oji Fibre Solutions, in Mangere Bridge in June 2019.

Ms Matamua had left Niumagumagu days before the incident, the jury has heard.

‘‘It seems that the car collided with Kaisala, she has been thrown in the same direction the car was travelling and collided with a stationary vehicle,’’ Christchurch specialist forensic pathologist Martin Sage told a jury via audiovisual link.

He was called to provide evidence as part of the defendant’s case.

Ms Kaisala sustained a fractured knee and pelvis, the court heard.

Mr Sage could not determine if it was Ms Kaisala’s impact with the first or second car that caused her fatal injuries.

‘‘This is an injury that is irretrievable. It didn’t matter if it happened there or on the steps of Middlemore Hospital, she was going to die and no prospect from bystanders was going to change that,’’ he said.

Mr Sage could not calculate how fast the car was travelling.

Key was the rate or change of the speed of the car, not the speed itself, he told the court.

‘‘We don’t know exactly what direction car was going in, how fast it was going and how it was accelerating.

‘‘With Kaisala we don’t know where she was travelling, if she was moving and how fast that was.

‘‘It’s impossible to say or test how she got those injuries.’’

Mr Sage said he had been provided with one witness statement.

However, over the course of the trial the Crown has called evidence from 11 people who claim to have seen Ms Kaisala killed by a car, many of whom were her colleagues.

Witnesses on behalf of the defendant have been called this week.

Niumgumagu’s former landlord and housemate Mani Sharma said he was ‘‘a good guy’’ who often saw his young daughter after work.

Closing arguments from Crown prosecutor Luke Radich, defence counsel Sharyn Green and summing up from Justice Mathew Downs are expected on Monday before the jury retires.