ONGAROTO MURDER.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6184, 15 September 1921, Page 5

ONGAROTO MURDER.

new WITNESS GIVES EVIDENCE

SAW ACCUSED ALONE WITH

GUN

HAMILTON, Sept. 14. At the Omgaroto murder trial, Kepa Hamilton, a new witness, son of another witness, said that on Easter Sunday, just as it was getting dark, he saw the prisoner alone with a gun, following the fence line, going away from the bridge. Asked by the 1 Crown Prosedutor why he had not given the information before, witness replied that lie did not want' to get mixed up with the case, but. when he discovered the seriousness of the affair he gave an honest account of what he saw to Detective Sweeney. i

Asked by counsel for prisoner whether he spoke English, witness at first would not reply. Later, on being pressed, he admitted that he spoke it very little. In a further reply to Mr Hampson, witness said he was cantering his horse when he met accused. Prisoner’s back was tunned towards him, and witness did not call anything or pull up. Hq did not tell anyone that night or next day that he had seen the accused. Witness was quite aware that his mother and brother had given evidence at each previous trial.—P.A. ~