Cold case murderer loses appeal

The skeleton of Balwinder Singh (pictured) was found by forestry workers in southwest Gisborne in 2005, 12 years after he went missing. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

A man serving a life sentence for an historical East Coast murder has lost an appeal against his conviction.

Paul Joseph Cameron, 38, was found guilty of the 1993 murder of his mother's boyfriend Balwinder "Babu" Singh at a High Court trial at Gisborne in February 2008.

Mr Singh's skeleton was found by forestry workers in Wharerata Forest, southwest of Gisborne, over a decade after his death, in November 2005.

Cameron appealed to the Court of Appeal this month on the grounds that a recorded conversation between himself and an undercover police officer should not have been admitted as evidence during his trial, because it was unreliable and unfair.

On the recording, Cameron told the officer he had shot dead an Indian man.

In its decision released today the Appeal Court said there was an overwhelming volume of evidence pointing toward Cameron as the killer.

"There is no basis on which we could reasonably hold that no jury acting reasonably ought to have entertained a reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Mr Cameron."

It dismissed the appeal.

During his trial, the jury was told Cameron and friend David Koia took Mr Singh to their cannabis plantation in the Wharerata Hills in October 1993.

When they arrived, Cameron and Mr Singh went one way and Mr Koia another. Cameron took a bag, which had a rifle in it, with him.

On his walk back to the car Mr Koia heard what sounded like two gun shots. Moments later Cameron arrived without Mr Singh and told Mr Koia to "drive, drive".

When he asked where Mr Singh was, Cameron told him, "never mind, don't worry".

- NZPA