Man who used baseball bat for murder gets at least 12 years

A 26-year-old man found guilty of murdering a teenager in Otara in September 2006 will spend at least 12 years behind bars.

Justice Helen Winkelmann sentenced Jeffrey Alailima Key in the High Court in Auckland today to life imprisonment for the murder of Riki Mafi, an innocent bystander, in Otara Town Centre in September 2006.

She ordered that Key serve a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.

Justice Winkelmann said that Key was among a group of people that went to Otara Town Centre after being told that two people - not including Mr Mafi - had asked for a knife so they could stab them.

She said Key hit Mr Mafi, who was not acting in any way aggressively, so hard with a baseball bat that he felled him.

He then struck another blow while Mr Mafi was on the ground before he was pulled away by colleagues.

Key had expressed remorse for his part in the attack during a police interview but had pleaded not guilty at the trial, with his lawyer Marie Dhyrberg saying he did not have murderous intent and there was reasonable doubt whether he struck the fatal blow to Mr Mafi.

Justice Winkelmann rejected Ms Dhyrberg's submission that Key get the standard minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

Mr Mafi was vulnerable when he was attacked, that Key acted as part of a group, and that such acts of street violence needed to be deterred, she said.

"Our streets should be safe to walk, and no family should have to go through what the family of Mr Mafi went through," she said.

Outside the court, Mr Mafi's mother Linda Beduhn said the law needed to be changed so tougher sentences could be imposed.

- NZPA