A HIGH-RANKING Mongrel Mob member is accused of destroying the car that was used in the manslaughter of Don Henry Turei Jnr at Raukokore last year.
Henare Raukokore Swinton, who is the captain of the Aotearoa Mongrel Mob chapter in Rotorua, previously pleaded not guilty to being an accessory to the manslaughter after the fact and his trial began at the High Court at Hamilton on Monday.
The driver of the van, Porirua Mongrel Mob member Andrew Robert Taiapa, was sentenced to six years and four months in prison earlier this year.
A third man, Jared Renata Te Moana, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for setting the van on fire.
Stuff reported that in her opening statements, crown prosecutor Anna Pollett said there were three significant events that occurred on the day Mr Turei was killed.
On November 26, about 250 people attended a wedding ceremony at Raukokore Church, among them several Tribesmen gang members.
There was also a tangi in the area for a young woman, which several Porirua Mongrel Mob members attended, and an unveiling for a former captain of a local Mongrel Mob chapter.
Tensions came to a head and a truce was called, where the Tribesman agreed to remove their patches when travelling in the area.
However, Turei was unaware of this and about 2.30pm, he and his brother drove past a Mongrel Mob pad wearing their colours.
Taiapa started chasing after Turei in a white Honda Odyssey filled with gang members. When Taiapa caught up with Turei, he rammed the back of his motorcycle, causing the rear wheel to become jammed under the front wheel of the Odyssey.
Turei ended up in a ditch outside the entrance to Pararaki Marae. He died a short time later, despite the efforts of a passing doctor.
Ms Pollett said the gang members from the van then began yelling gang phrases. She said after that, the gang members went back to the gang pad and bragged about the killing.
The white van was then moved to a second location. Later that night, it was moved again to a spot near the Raukokore River, where it was set on fire.
It was found by police several days later. The licence plates had been removed and attempts had been made to remove identifying details.
The Crown alleges that it was during the destruction of the vehicle that Swinton became involved. However, in his opening statement, defence lawyer Jonathan Temm said there was no evidence his client was involved.
The trial is presided over by Justice Pheroze Jagose. It is set down for a week.