More Evidence In Tangoio Murder Charge

Chronicle (Levin), 2 April 1949, Page 7

More Evidence In Tangoio Murder Charge

Fress Association)

(Per

NAPIER, April 1. The hearing of the charge of murder against a 41-year-old Maori labourer, Tiemi Ranapiri, was continued in the Napier Magistrate's Court today. Rauapiri is charged with the murder of Paui Pohio, aged 28. Pauline Ranapiri, wife of aceused's brother, Joseph Rauapiri, said her hus band wakened her . on the night of February 5-6 and told her to go to accused 's room. She went to the room and saw accused. Witness asked him what was the matter and he replied. "I have shot a man," or words to that elfect, continued witness. Accusec, seemed over excited. Later witnesswent to the room where Erena Rana piri, aceused's daughter, slept and saw Paui Pohio there. He was dead. Thi last occasion on which Pohio visited thihouse was a week before his death. Pohio had visited the house a few ti in Ra and played table tennis there. Phyllis Watene, widow, said she stayed at James Spooner's house untiJ the afternoon of February 6. Witness attended a party at the house on thi evening of February 5. She went tc sleep and was wakened by accused later in the night. "He told me that he had shot Paui," continued witness. "I asked him if Paui was dead and hi said ' Yes, he's had it. ' I told him to go home and did not see him again. " Toko Fparaima'f* : chairman of the Tangoio Petane tribal conunittee toi .the past 20 years, said someone cairn to. his house on the night of Pohio 'f death'&nd lcnocked at the back door Witness did not answer. The person caine inside and knocked at the bed room door. "I told him to come in and Ranapiri walked in," said witness " He said: 'This is the seeond tiine 1 have been before you.. This tiine I ha v killed a man. I shot him and lie is dead.' I asked him what the row wa about and he said: 'There was no row I just walked into the room and shot •him dead.' " Witness said he told Ranapiri to straighten up iike a soldier He did so and said: "It's not beer,-' continued witness. Ranapiri Jet't and witness communicated with the police. Coustable Darcy Walden, of Bayview, said he went to Ranapiri 's housi early ou the morning of February u He found Ranapiri in the sitting roon. and Ranapiri told him he had shot a man. Ranapiri repeatdd the words: "j have nothing to.hide^:; a number oi . tmies. ' . ' «W?tness said Ihe- accused was lield it In^lrAegard by -the peoplbigif * the dis (trl&t, bp^h * Eui'dpeait andv?^iaoyi. I bov$iing (for acdused) : Wha: was Pohio 's reputation? The Crovvn Prosdcirtor ' (Mr. Willis objected to the. questioj. and.asked tha: hisvfliblect'ion bjwtiefettfcipsjwp ai hgffwes t i o n . about Pohio 's character. Constable Walden, replying to tlu question: He had a police reeqrd. Mr. Bbwlingf. What sort of a Maor was^die? t'\ . '% 4 - eohkableAYaide-b'': He/ was a ua Mapiu. '-Y ;• Breledtx'v^-Serglairt E. "G, Rippin, o Napier, another metuber of the polict party which went to Tangoio shorth after Pohio 's death, said he stayec. with Ranapiri ail the tinie he was at the house. Ranapiri had deliniteh taken liquor that night and was slight ly intoxicated. His mind was workinp quite normally but he was talking a lot. Witness said that after Ranapiri had said goodbye to his family witness and Heteetive-Sergeant Iieid broughl him back to Napier. After being warn ed that he was not obliged to niake an. statement Ranapiri made a statenient to Detective Reid and signed the state men,t after a number of alterations had been inade. Cross-exaniined by Mr. Dovvling wit ness said Pohio 's weight was about l-i stone. He was a niuch bigger man thai/ accused and niuch more robust. Mr. Dowling: Did you knovv Pohio t(. be a violent tempered man? j Witness: I can sav that he did not have the best of reputations for charac ter. Detective-Sergeant Andrew Reid pro .luced the statement allegedly made b\ accused. The statement made by accused read as follows: "On returning home after midnight I entered my house from the front. On entering my room I heard a noise at the far end of the house in the vicinity of my daughter 's bedroom. Not knowing what it was T piclced up a guu from my bedroom and I loaded it. The rifle had a hair trigger and it dis charged a shot in the passageway neai the entrance to the girl's room. I reloaded the gun with another cartridge and I walked into my daughter 's room with the rifle under my right arm and a torch in my left liand. On entering her bedroom I saw someone that was not entitled to be there. I had cocked the gun before I opened the door of my daughter 's bedroom. The person 1 found in the room was Paui Pohio, a * Maori that lives at Tangoio. He had been in my daughter 's bed and had hopped ou t of bed on to the side of the bed. On seeing him there with my torch 1 said: I have half a mind to slioot you. He replied: You can do so if you like. . "I raised the gun and fired a shot at him and he dropped to the floor. " Witness said police inquiries showed that a rifle similar to that produced was registered in the name of James Ransfield at Levin ou June 6, 1936. At the conclusion of the police case accused was committed for trial at the next sessiou of the Supreme Court, Napier. Mr. Dowling, for accused, paid tribute to the fair manner in which Deteci tive-Sergeant Reid had prepared and ' prosented the caso for the prosecution.