Witness denies lying in drug case

Press, 12 October 1979, Page 26

Witness denies lying in drug case

A Crown witness has denied that he had lied about a man accused eff importing heroin into New Zealand in order to “buy his way out of trouble.” The witness, whose name has been suppressed, made the denial in answer tri a question put to him in cross-examination by defence counsel in the Supreme Court at Auckland. He was being questioned on the third day of the trial of Brian James Curtis, aged 45, a self-em-ployed property developer, of Glen Eden.

Curtis has pleaded not guilty to a charge of importing heroin into New Zealand at Karamea, Westland, on March 9. The Crown has alleged that the heroin had a street value of $1 million. It says that Curtis got the heroin in Thailand after sailing to Bali in a yacht with three others. The witness — one of the crew members — was in the witness-box for about three hours. The trial is before Mr Justice McMullin and a jury. Mr E. R. Winkel and Mr M. J. Ruffin appear for the Crown and Mr G. F. Little and Mr R. S. Walker for Curtis. Cross examined by Mr Little, the witness said that after he had made a statement to the police at. Westport he was charged with using heroin and conspiring to import cannabis. He made a ■ second statement at Christchurch. Asked why, he said he had decided that the best, thing would be to tell the truth.

“You decided to lie about Curtis to buy your

way out of the trouble you were already in, didn't you'?'’ asked Mr Little. Witness replied: “No.”

He said he had decided to tell the truth because he was worried about going to jail himself and because he was worried about other people getting involved.

In answer to a later question by Mr Little, the witness said the main reason for telling the truth was that he thought his girlfriend (whose name was also suppressed) was not going to be charged

with anything. Mr Little: What was said to you by the police before you made your second statement about the likelihood of you and your girlfriend going to jail?

Witness: 1 was told no deals would be- made and that. 1 would be charged with conspiring to import, cannabis and my girlfriend would also be charged with conspiring to import cannabis.

.Mr Little: What was said about you and your girlfriend saving yourselves from prosecution?

Witness: Nothing was said about saving us. The girlfriend of. the previous witness also gave evidence of the vo'yage. At Bali she had agreed to go with Curtis to Bangkok to get the heroin, after he had offered her $3OOO. Curtis told her she was to bring the heroin, through Customs. They flew to Singapore and then to Bangkok. On neither flight were they seated together. The witness said that at Bangkok they went to a

hotel in separate taxis. Curtis had told her they were not supposed to know each either. She booked into a hotel with a false name.

Curtis told her she was to book in as a Canadian because there was a New Zealand detective in Bangkok.

At the hotel, Curtis told her he would bring the heroin the next day. He said it had come from a city in the north of Thailand. When Curtis came with the heroin to her room, the witness said, he had a radio. He took the back off it, wrapped the heroin in black silk, and put it in the back of the radio. The heroin was in three plastic bags. Witness thought the whole lot amounted to 3kg.

Curtis flew back to Bali the day before witness. She had" the radio with the heroin when she left for Bali. When they were back aboard the yacht Curtis took the heroin out of the radio and put it in a bag.

Back in New Zealand, at Westport, Curtis said he intended to take the heroin to Auckland, the witness said. She was to take it.

At Auckland, she and Curtis took separate taxis to the Intercontinental Hotel. She took the bag with the heroin to her room. Later. Curtis told her by telephone that somebody would come to pick up the heroin from her. The person came and told her to go with him. They got into his car, and witness gave him the bag with the heroin. The trial continues.