Man ‘sentenced to death’ by fellow Mobsters: Crown
A badly injured man was ‘‘sentenced to death’’ when those accused of murdering him took him to a drug dealer’s house instead of a hospital, a court has heard.
Crown prosecutor Deborah Davies spent all yesterday telling a jury in the High Court at Palmerston North why five men are guilty of murdering Codi Wilkinson in September 2019.
Jeremiah Su’a, his brother Mariota Su’a, Dean Arthur Jennings, Quentin Joseph Moananui and Jason David Signal deny murdering Wilkinson, badly hurting his friend Kyle Rowe, kidnapping the pair and participating in an organised criminal group.
Davies said the evidence made their guilt clear.
Witnesses, CCTV and text messages showed Rowe and Wilkinson were Mongrel Mob members who robbed a Bunnythorpe drug dealer, lied to their gang president Jeremiah Su’a about it and failed to share the proceeds.
Text messages showed Mariota Su’a gathered CCTV footage of the robbery and showed it to Jeremiah Su’a, who then gathered fellow Mobsters Jennings and Moananaui, as well as his friend Signal.
That violence done in Ashhurst while kicking them out of the Mob, known as depatching, was proven by the injuries inflicted on the duo – slashes with sharp heavy weapons – and blood found on fences.
The duo were then put in a car – blood belonging to them was found inside – and driven from Ashhurst to a street near the drug dealer’s house.
‘‘The people responsible for his wounds take [Wilkinson] to Bunnythorpe rather than to the hospital,’’ Davies said.
‘‘These people sentenced Codi Wilkinson to death.’’
Blood was visible on the road and a trail showed Wilkinson either walked or was carried to where he was found dead two weeks later, Davies said.
Some of the strongest evidence was
‘‘The people responsible for his wounds take [Wilkinson] to Bunnythorpe rather than to the hospital. These people sentenced Codi Wilkinson to death.’’ Deborah Davies Crown prosecutor
from Shaneque Terry and Krystal Hewitt, two women who were intimately involved with Rowe.
Hewitt said she saw a badly hurt Rowe being put in a car while some defendants were at or near her house, and her texts to Jeremiah Su’a went from asking for help to what was going on.
Terry said Jennings had Rowe’s gang patch when the five accused went to her house the night Wilkinson went missing.
Davies said their stories were consistent, while Jeremiah Su’a and Signal gave conflicting accounts to police, Mairota Su’a boasted of violence and Moananui was a trusted senior
Mobster.
Terry and Hewitt, however, had matching accounts despite not liking each other, Davies said.
She described them as ‘‘strong women, mana wa¯hine’’ for going against the gang code of not talking to police, instead helping officers in their investigation.
Signal and Jennings could be guilty of manslaughter if not guilty of murder, Davies said.
If Signal knew violence was likely during the depatching, but not to the level of very serious harm, then manslaughter could be the correct verdict.
But he lied to police and must have known about the plan, Davies said.
Jennings told police he did not know what was going to happen and did not know Wilkinson was taken to Bunnythorpe in the boot of a car.
Davies said that made no sense, as damage to the boot and Wilkinson’s injuries meant two people – Jennings and Moananui – were needed to get him out of it.
Furthermore, Jennings did not leave once he saw the violence being dished out on Wilkinson and Rowe. ‘‘It comes down to the issue of foresight.’’
Moananui, who is representing himself, was not in court yesterday to hear Davies’ address, although lawyer Paul Surridge has been appointed by the court to help him with his defence.
Justice Helen Cull told the jury Moananui’s appearance was excused.