CHARGED WITH MURDER

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1949, Page 7

CHARGED WITH MURDER

Press Association)

Maori Labourer Before Court At Napier

(Per

iNAfiJiiXt, manui oi. The discovery in a house at Tangoio 20 niiles north of Napier, on February 0 last of the body of a young Maori with a bullet wound in the head, leo to the hearing in the Napier Police 1 Court today of a charge of murder against Tieini Ranapiri, aged 41 years, a Maori labourer, of Tangoio. Ranapiri is eharged with the murder of Paui Pohio, aged 28 years. Twenty witnesses will be cailed, and the hearing is taking place before thc inagistrate (Mr. L. G. Binclair). The poliee case is being condueted by thc Crown prosecutor (Mr. L. W. Willis). Evidence was given by Dr. G. Glee son that the bullet whieh caused Pohio 's death apparently entered the cheek and took • an upward course to the brain. James Spooner, a pensioner, of Tangoio, said there was a party at his house on "the" night of February 5. Among those present were accused and liis wife and Pohio. Everyone present drank some beer and Pohio and accused were" talking together. "From what J could see they were quite friendly, ' .iuid witness. Pohio left the party be fore accused, going about 11 o'clock and takiiig witness 's torch Avith him Pohio appeared to be sober. Accused and his wife left the party haif an hour aft'er Pohio. ' JEtipeka Tlouia, a married woman o Tangoio, who was present at the party , said that when Pohio left the party he just disappeared without teliing anv me where he was going. Erena Makaranui Ranapiri, a higli rtchool.student, aged 15, daughter of ac used. said that until February 6 sh ived at her pareuts' honie at Tangoio -ihe was the eldest of 12 children in tiofamily. Her pareuts went to the party jii the night of February 5, and before going her father told her to look aftei the other children. Ile said there was to be " no inonkey business. ' ' Witnesf said she- went to bed about 8 o'clock fSlie shared a double bed with twe sisters aged hve and six, and a ten year-oid brother slept in a single bein the sauie room. fcihe awoke to iind Paul Pohio in hei bedroom. Not loug afterwards the doo' opened, a light shone into the room am' her father entered. Polno sat 011 tluedge.of tlie bed, his riglit elbow 011 thi dressing table and his liead in his liands. Witness said her father was i-arryiiig a rifle when he came into the room.' He.stOod at the end of the bed. "He looked wild, " she said. He was looking at Pohio. He rested the barre1 . of the rifle on the end of the iron bei stead and said to Pohio: "1 have hal! a mind to shoot yO'u.1"" 1 WittteS^ could uot remember if Pohio spoke. Poha was sitting with the left side of his face to.wards her father and the rifle was pointi'ng at his face. "The gun went off," said witness "knd 1 lieard Paul- fall." Her fathei th'eu threw the rifle ou the floor aud whlked out of the room.' Witiiess took her sisters into her pareiits' bedroom. Witness added that her father had spoken to her iibout boys and told her not to go out with tliem. Cross-examined by Mr. Dovv'ling, witness said her father had aiways beer: afl'ectionate and thoughtful about the family 's welfare. Mark Graliam Bomerville, pathologist Lo the Hawke's Bay ilospital Boartl. who condueted the postmortem, said "Pohio died directly from a gunshoi wound. Senior-Sergeant Gregory Geralu Iveiiv, ballistics expert, said a rifle he examined was a .22 ealibre single shoi and had a bolt action. A smokeles; cartridge had been flred from the rifh not long. before witness examined it. "The trigger release pull for this rifle was oue and a half pounds, wherea: tlie absolute miniiftum safety pull fo: this tvpe of flrearm is four pounds" ' said witness. "It could be flred by dropping it; in faet a sharp blow 011 t>. butt would probably set it off. The rifle is in a highly dangerous state." Joseph Ranapiri, a watersider, saiu he lived in the same house as accused who was his brother. Early on the morning of February ti accused came into witness 's bedroom and said he had sliot a mau. Witness did not believe him and asked his brother to leave him alone and let him sleep. Accuse.! repeated the statement but witness was too sleepy to take anv uotice.. W'itnessdid not know Pohio was in the house. Witness continued "that on Sunday, February 20, he was scything grass nea: the house and found a pair of boots 111 the grass about 50 feet from tln Avindow of the room where Erena Ranapiri had slept. Witness positiveB identified the boots as belonging ro Pohio. Witness said he and his brothei had not been 011 good terms for some years, but settled dilferences, whieh were about tlie house they occupied, a week before February 5. His borthe/ was a quite normal and saue person, continued witness. Accused was an apostle of the Ratana faith and witness said accused carried his religious views a, little too far for him. ' ' He is very strict, ' ' he added. The case was adjourned till tomorrow.