Radio New Zealand –
A teenager who was with two boys accused of carrying out a fatal robbery at a West Auckland dairy was told to close the door as it happened, he said.
The 15-year-old was giving evidence (on June 9, 2015) in Auckland High Court, where a 14-year-old is accused of murdering 57-year-old Arun Kumar.
A 13-year-old boy faces a charge of manslaughter.
Both also face charges of assault with intent to rob, and both have name suppression.
The witness told the court that one of the accused told him to close the door as the robbery took place. He repeatedly denied it was his idea to close it to stop passers-by seeing what was happening inside.
Different route
The witness said he took a different route from the accused when they ran from the scene because he did not want to be seen with them.
He also gave evidence yesterday, during which Justice Lang interrupted the cross examination to warn him that he did not have to answer questions he thought could get him into trouble.
The witness told the court that he was with the boys the night before the fatal robbery, and that the group smoked synthetic cannabis.
The witness was taken through a collection of photographs of the 14-year-old’s bedroom and confirmed he could see an ashtray and beer boxes in the photos.
He said that when the two accused left the house the following morning, the plan was to rob the local shoe shop.
Instead they went to the dairy.
The witness said that he remained outside, and repeatedly denied assertions from the 14-year-old’s lawyer, Maria Pecotic, he was acting as the lookout.
He said the other boy asked him to be the lookout but he never agreed to do that.
The case continues.
