Defence in arms case on Tuesday

Press, 22 June 1985, Page 5

Defence in arms case on Tuesday

Prosecution evidence was completed yesterday on the second day of the hearing of charges against nine members of the Highway 61 group arising from the police’s finding a loaded .22 calibre cut-down rifle and three petrol-filled beer bottles with cloth in their tops at the group’s headquarters during a search on April 4, in connection with a murder inquiry. Two Arms Act offences are alleged against each defendant, arising from the police’s finding the pistol in a hole in weatherboards and the bottles on a porch. Each defendant faced a charge of being in possession of a pistol when he was not authorised or permitted to have possession of it. Each was also charged with possessing explosives — three Molotov cocktails — without lawful purpose. The defendants are John Harry Akuhata, aged 26, Taui Thompson, aged 30, Epi Jack Marino, aged 32 (all represented by Mr M. J. Knowles); Lionel Hatarei Chapman, aged 28, Ashley Vernon Davies, aged 25, John Pomare Maniopoto, aged 26 (all represented by Mr E. Bedo); Larry Matthew Collier, aged 29 (Mr M. J. B. Hobbs); Patrick Napier Hutana, aged 21, and Gavin Stuart Spooner, aged 28, (both represented by Mr G. R. Lascelles). The second day of the hearing was completed yesterday. Judge Palmer ad-

journed the case to Tuesday for the setting of a date for hearing defence evidence and submissions. All defendants were granted bail. Sergeant Christopher Maling prosecuted. At the original appearance of the defendants in court during Easter weekend Sergeant Maling said that nobody had admitted ownership of the items and that the occupants were charged on the basis of a provision of the Arms Act that where specific ownership was not ascertained occupants could be charged with ownership of the weapons. Further prosecution evidence was that, when questioned after the items were found, each defendant gave his address as 588 Worcester Street (the group’s headquarters). Some also gave an additional address at which they said they also lived. These were Chapman, Collier, and Davies. Spooner said he “normally” lived at the headquarters. During cross-examination of a detective yesterday, Mr Bedo said the status of the occupants was quite crucial as to their guilt or otherwise in their alleged possession of the firearm. At the completion of the prosecution case, the four counsel submitted that there was no case for the defendants to answer. The Judge ruled against these submission.