Verdict in murder trial expected today

The jury in the trial of Matiu Korewha are expected to make their decision today.

A Northland man accused of murdering his partner is expected to know his fate today.

The jury in the trial of Matiu Korewha was expected to retire to consider their verdict in the High Court at Whangarei before lunch today after Justice Brendan Brown summed up the case.

Korewha, 44, is charged with murdering Barbara Moka after an argument near the Te Piiti Marae at Omanaia in June last year. He admitted inflicting the injuries that led to her death but said he didn't mean to kill her. Korewha didn't wish to either give or call evidence at the completion of the Crown case yesterday. Crown solicitor Mike Smith told the jury in his closing address Ms Moka's body was left unburied and exposed to the elements for weeks while her family and friends searched in vain for her. He said Korewha deceived and diverted others away from his actions, which he never acknowledged.

"He and he alone was the reason why Barbara had no future. It was a deliberate and intentional killing of her by him and you the jury can be satisfied what he did was murder."

Mr Smith said Korewha continued despite knowing the risk of Ms Moka dying when he beat her up.

He asked the jury to focus on an incident in January before her death when Korewha gave Ms Moka two black eyes after she refused to go home with him.

Korewha's lawyer Catherine Cull said the jury could safely convict him for manslaughter but not murder.

She said the Crown's claim that Korewha's intent to kill Ms Moka could be traced back to Ms Moka's black eyes in January and from other events leading up to her death was a "very long bow".