Jailed for refusing to testify against Mongrel Mob members

A witness was jailed yesterday for five days for refusing to give evidence in a trial, forcing it to be aborted.

Philip Hohipa said he was too frightened of the repercussions to give evidence against the two accused Mongrel Mob members.

Mr Hohipa was the alleged victim of kidnapping, blackmail and assaults by Nevara Raymond Raheke, 36 and Tahi Jock Wikio, 29, in the Lower Hutt suburb of Naenae on September 9, 2005.

In the High Court in Wellington Crown prosecutor Ken Stone said Mr Hohipa was attacked when he went to Raheke's address to repay a debt.

The pair took Hohipa's car and kept him at Raheke's house to carry out jobs a gang prospect was to have done.

Mr Hohipa was the Crown's principle witness, but he refused to give evidence.

Justice Forrest Miller said he had sympathy for Mr Hohipa, who appeared as a victim of crime, but the court could not tolerate the situation where witnesses were excused just because they received a threat and regretted that the penalty needed to be jail.

- NZPA