Juror illness delays murder trial

Three men accused of murdering a Hamilton man will have to wait another day before the jury retires to decide their fate.

Jurors were as expected to retire today to decide whether Ahmad Matlobyaygazwini, Tuale Fuimaono and Ali Rafiee were guilty of murdering Bjorn Henderson in suburban Auckland in March last year.

But they were sent home after illness prevented one of them attending the trial in the High Court at Auckland today.

Justice Graham Lang said it would not be fair to the ill juror who had sat through the four week trial if matters continued with an 11-person jury today.

The trial will resume tomorrow if the juror has recovered.

The jury has been given all the evidence and closing submissions on behalf of prosecutors, Rafiee and Fuimaono.

It has still to be given the final address on behalf of Matlobyaygazwini and Justice Lang's summary of the case before retiring.

- NZPA