A Northland beneficiary accused of running his partner over twice with a car has elected to give evidence and to call witnesses to prove what happened was manslaughter instead of murder.
The Crown closed its case against Viliami Fungavaka in the High Court at Whangarei yesterday afternoon - nearly six weeks after his jury trial started.
The 47-year-old is facing a charge of murder after he allegedly ran over his partner and mother of two Georgina Manuel during a roadside argument on Pukepoto Rd in Kaitaia on the night of August 20, 2013.
At the end of the Crown case about 3.30pm yesterday, Fungavaka's lawyer Gregory Bradford told the jury his client had maintained throughout the trial that what happened on the "dark and sad" night of August 20, 2013 on Pukepoto Rd was an accident.
Therefore, he said it was manslaughter at worst instead of murder as the Crown alleged.