Raymond Fleet’s partner gives evidence at High Court trial
A knife was found secreted under Raymond Fleet’s mattress on August 7 last year, the day the Mamaku man died.
Giving evidence in the High Court at Rotorua via audio visual link and with the assistance of an interpreter, Fleet’s partner Michiki Suzuki told of her discovery as she went to make their bed. The knife was on Raymond Fleet’s side.
That night she attempted to reach him on his cellphone but it remained unanswered.
Suzuki was testifying yesterday afternoon at the trial of Mikaere James Hura, 21, and Zen Pulemoana, 27, both unemployed.
Each has denied charges of murdering uncle and nephew Raymond and James Fleet at Mamaku.
They are charged jointly with Martin Hone who has pleaded guilty to the charges.
Another man, Richard Te Kani, has admitted manslaughter counts relating to the Fleets.
In her testimony, Suzuki told of seeing Te Kani in her garage a few days before she unearthed the knife. He introduced her to Hone, saying he was his brother. Others were also present.
When she asked Raymond Fleet what was going on in the garage he responded “just drinking”. After she’d seen the men in the garage she was unable to get into it because it was locked.
The jury heard on Thursday that a methamphetamine cook-up had to be aborted at the home of Raymond Fleet’s son Darius. The operation was then moved to Raymond Fleet’s garage.
Evidence from Mamaku man Norman Nicholson was read to the court by prosecution team member Charles Harvey.
Nicholson said he had asked Raymond Fleet how the cook-up had gone and his response was that it turned to custard.
Nicholson claimed Fleet had twice asked him if he could get his hands on any shooters, meaning guns.
Suzuki was the sixth out of 36 Crown witness to testify in the trial which is expected to run for at least three weeks.
Ealier yesterday the jury heard from Te Kauru Raroa, via video link, who recounted the last time he saw Raymond and James Fleet.
In his testimony, Raroa claimed both Hura and Pulemoana were present when the Fleets were taken into the bush near Mamaku, from which they didn’t return.
He described how, before that, there had been angry confrontations between Hone, Te Kani and Raymond Fleet.
Raymond Fleet had been sitting in a van parked on an isolated gravel road when Hone drove up and punched him in the face. He described the punch as “not a tap”.
Raymond Fleet got out, attempting to defend himself.
“There was a scuffle, Marty (Hone) got the better of Ray, he fell in a puddle. I wrapped my arms around Marty in a bear hug to pull him away, Ray was saying he was okay, just cold. I was trying to clean him up.”
James Fleet, who had remained in the van, asked if his uncle would be alright to which Raroa said he responded “yeah”.
Before the Fleets were taken into the bush, Hone had a shovel and it appeared he was going to take a swing at Raymond Fleet with it, Raroa claimed.
Challenged by Hura’s lawyer, Harry Edward, that there was no shovel, Raroa remained adamant there was but acknowledged he hadn’t told police that because at that time he had a lot of things going on in his head.
He agreed he knew Hura was a Mangu Kaha gang prospect.
“You know they have to operate on orders, if they don’t what happens?” Edward asked.
“They get sorted out,” Raroa replied.
Pressed further, Raroa said he did not know if this meant a beating.
He told Pulemoana’s counsel Max Simpkins when the fight took place Hone had been freaking everyone out, agreeing he’d had to muster up as much courage as he could to help his friend.
The trial is before Justice Sally Fitzgerald and is set to resume on Tuesday.