A three-week jury trial has been set for a Rotorua father accused of murdering his 5-year-old son.
William James Sio, 25, who appeared in the Rotorua High Court today via an audiovisual link from prison, pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder through his lawyer today.
Sio's lawyer Louis Te Kani also entered a not guilty plea on his client's behalf to a further joint charge of ill treatment/neglect of a child under 18 years.
The murder charge relates to the death of 5-year-old Ferro-James Sio who died on February 8.
Sio's partner Leza Rawiri, who also appeared in court by audio-visual link from prison, pleaded not guilty to the joint ill treatment/neglect charge through her lawyer Moana Dorset.
