Three guilty of injuring police

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32498, 7 January 1971, Page 2

Three guilty of injuring police

(New Zealand Press Association; GISBORNE, January 6. In the Gisborne Magistrate’s Court today, three Opotiki men pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and the aggravated wounding of two policemen.

Mr W. M. Willis, S.M., committed them to the Supreme Court at Auckland on February 1 for sentence. Bail was refused.

The charges arose from an incident in the Kutarere store on December 19.

Detective Senior-Sergeant A. W. Beattie appeared for the police, and Mr D. R. Kohn for the Kora brothers.

Joseph Wati Kora, aged 21, a workman, pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary, and to the wounding of Sergeant R. S. Basher with intent to avoid arrest and facilitate flight after burglary. Eric William Kora, aged 22, unemployed, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and to wounding Constable G. L Cowell, and Peter Robert Kohi, aged 24, pleaded guilty to burglary charges and to wounding Sergeant Basher. Sergeant Basher, of Opotiki, described going into the Kutarere store with Constable CowelL He had said “This is the police, come quietly.” The two men nearest him started fighting and Eric Kora began fighting with Constable Cowell, All three were holding slashers. Hit with blade The witness said he was hit on the head and arms by the handle of Kohi’s slasher. He tried to grab it and was struck on the thigh with the blade of Joseph Kora’s slasher.

He saw Joseph Kora swing the slasher at his head, he

raised his hand to ward off the blow and was struck on the head with the wooden handle. The witness was hit about the body several times and the next thing he remembered was coming to on the footpath outside. He returned and helped Constable Cowell to handcuff Kohi.

Later he went to Opotiki Hospital where four stitches were put in the cut in his thigh. He had a swollen hand ana minor abrasions to the face, arms, chest and abdomen.

Constable Cowell, of Opotiki, said he went in the store with Sergeant Basher, at 4.15 a.m. In a storeroom, two men were crouched behind a counter.

He put his hand oh Eric Kora’s shoulder and said "Come on, lads, outside now.” He then saw there were three men, each holding a slasher. Eric Kora struck at the witness but hit the counter. The witness wrenched the slasher from him and struggled with him. Eric Kora fell to the floor and the witness saw the other two hitting Sergeant Basher. One raised a slasher to aim at Sergeant Basher. The witness threw his baton but the man moved and it glanced off his head. Eric Kora then grabbed the witness around the throat and they struggled. The witness saw Joseph Kora hold the slasher high above his head and bring It down, blade first, at Sergeant Basher’s head. Sergeant Basher deflected the blow with his arm. Bottles used

Eric Kora and the witnesses then fell to the floor and Kora hit him on the head with a large soft-drink bottle which smashed. Kora took another soft-drink bottle and hit him twice more on the head. He then allowed the witness to stand. The men took the witness from the storeroom, Kohi holding a slasher at his back. In the shop were a number of men, one of whom had a shotgun. The witness grappled with Kohi and grabbed the slasher he was holding Sergeant Basher and the witness managed to handcuff Kohi and finally got him into a car.

The three accused were taken to the Opotiki police station with the help of local residents.