Second man charged over incident

Press, 25 May 1984, Page 7

Second man charged over incident

After a preliminary hearing in the District Court yesterday Barry John Wiki, aged 30, unemployed, was committed to ’ the High Court for trial on a charge of conspiring with Alexander James Henderson, aged 30. on March 5 to commit an aggravated robbery. Mr R. C. Holland and Mrs C. M. Holmes. Justices of the Peace, also committed Wiki to the District Court for trial on five other charges associated with the alleged robbery. They were of theft of a motor-cycle between February 26 and March 5, theft of a single barrel shotgun between February 2 and March 5, unlawfully receiving the shotgun from a person or

persons unknown when he knew it to have been stolen (an alternative charge to the theft charge), being unlawfully in possession of a pistol, the cut-down shotgun, on March 5, and having his face masked by day with intent to commit an aggravated robbery on March 5. The Justices remanded Wiki in custody to June 18, pending a date for trial in the High Court, on the charge of conspiring with Henderson to commit a robbery. He was remanded to June 22, pending trial in the District Court, on the other five charges. His counsel (Mr S. C. Barker) reserved his defence but sought bail for Wiki during the remand

period. This was “vigorously” opposed by the prosecutor (Senior-Sergeant A. R. Lynch). The Justices declined bail and said Mr Barker had recourse to the High Court for this application. During yesterday’s preliminary hearing statements of evidence of nine of the 12 prosecution witnesses were submitted by consent of defence counsel, without the witnesses having to appear. One of the prosecution witnesses was Henderson, who had been sentenced in the High Court earlier yesterday on charges of conspiring with Wiki to commit an aggravated robbery, being disguised by day for the purpose of committing an aggravated robbery, un-

lawfully possessing a weapon, and unlawfully getting on to a motor-cycle. Henderson said in evidence that it had been Wiki’s idea to rob the Opawa Post office. They had travelled three times past the Post Office, after donning safety helmets and balaclavas and carrying a bag, a sawn off shotgun, and a gas operated pistol. They had then driven into a side street off Opawa Road, and Henderson told Wiki to go home as he did not want to go through with it. Wiki agreed and they were returning to Henderson’s flat in Stevens Street when they were pursued by a car-load of detectives, and apprehended.

Other evidence was given that the Post Office had $60,000 in cash that day — $50,000 at the counters and $lO,OOO in the safe — because of superannuation payments to be made. Detective K. M. Burrowes gave evidence of interviewing the defendant. The defendant said he had borrowed the motor-cycle, and the sawn-off shotgun, from friends. He did not name them. He had the weapon, and the balaclava and helmet, for “personal reasons.” Wiki told the detective they had not travelled near the Post Office. They were going to do a “hit" on a person, and had no plan to rob a post office.