Man charged with murder after skeleton found

Balwinder Singh went missing in 1993

Police have charged a 36-year-old man with the murder of Balwinder Singh, whose skeletal remains were found 12 years after he went missing.

Two forestry workers found the remains of Mr Singh on November 8 last year in Wharerata Forest, southwest of Gisborne, after spotting a pair of shoes with bones sticking out of them.

Mr Singh, known as Babu, was 23 at the time of his disappearance in October 1993. He was an Indian national who moved to New Zealand in 1989 and became an overstayer.

He was arrested in April 1992 for possession of a fraudulent New Zealand passport and immigration removal orders were served on him at the time of his arrest.

He subsequently applied for refugee status.

Mr Singh was wanted by police for failing to appear in the district court for removal from the country by the Immigration Department and for benefit overpayments by the Social Welfare Department at the time of his disappearance.

DNA samples from the Mr Singh's parents were used to identify him. His remains were found on a forestry track 500m off State Highway 2.

The pair who found him discovered other bones nearby.

The man charged with Mr Singh's murder was due to appear in Gisborne District Court today.

- NZPA