MOTU RIVER MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18509, 21 March 1922, Page 5

MOTU RIVER MURDER

RUTENE TOPI FOUND HOT guilty. THE CASE CONCLUDED. (Fxb Unitkd Press Absociatiok.) Ai , ~ GISBORNE, March 20. At the Motu River murder trial to-day • n< T® v idenee was called for the defence. - The Crown Prosecutor argued that it w&8 a very carefully planned murder, -and commented strongly on the statement of accused’s brother that arrangements been made between accused and his father as to what could be said in regard to the time accused left home on the day of the murder, arid the concern accused had shown about the murder. He suggested that accused would remove as far as possible all traces of crime. Ho stressed accused’s statement when giving a penny to Koopu Eruiti “on account of murdering this man.’’ Accused had failed to account for his movements at the time the Crown said the murder bad been perpetrated. hor the defence Mr Burnard said affirmatively that accused could not prove hw innocence. There was no evidence that/' accused been seen in the actual vicinity” of the murder—no fingerprint*, and no blood stains on his clothing. The evidence of the Native witnesses for the,Crown was unreliable. There was also grave doubt as to the time and date of the crime. If the case for the Crown was correct the shot would have been heard at the time in question, as at least two people were not far distant. If accused told other Natives to clean the guns, why did he not act on the advice ■ himself. The incident of the penny was merely to get accused delivered, from his trouble. The police had brought no evidence of the wads used in the cartridge. None of the proceeds of the robbery had been found on accused. Mr Justice Reed, in summing up, held that the murder must have taken place about the time suggested by the Crown. If accused committed it he must have changed his clothes after leaving home. The murder could possibly have been committed by a stranger, but the police had made exhaustive ,' inquiries. Accused was the only person regarded by the Crown as having faded to account properly for hie movements. There was no doubt it was accused who gave the message to the Natives to clean the guns. . Although accused left the house without a gun, it could be inferred, that he handed I one to his brother later in the afternoon-’ If the Crown were right that it was * well thought out crime by accused it was unlikely that he would be found with any of the stolen property. The jury must return a verdict in the light of .mason. ‘ After an absence of close on tw<* hour* - a verdict of not guilty was returned,'