Māngere Bridge murder trial: Screams and thud in speeding car's onslaught, witness says

Factory worker Sagaia Kaisala, 32, was killed when a car slammed into her. Soafa Niumagumagu is on trial, accused of murder. Photo / File

Terror unfolded when a car hurtled towards people at a South Auckland factory before slamming into a woman, a witness told a murder trial today.

Soafa Niumagumagu is on trial for murdering 32-year-old Sagaia Kaisala in a factory carpark.

He denies murder, and denies attempting to murder his ex-wife Puapuaga Matamua by stabbing her moments before Kaisala was killed in June 2019.

David Gray, facilities manager at Oji Fibre Solutions Māngere Bridge, told the High Court at Auckland his manufacturing manager came running into his office.

"[He] indicated to me he heard someone had been stabbed in the rear car park, possibly with a screwdriver."

Gray said he went out and saw Matamua looking agitated.

The incident happened near Oji Fibre Solutions on Mahunga Drive in June 2019. Photo / File

"Something had happened to her neck. She was pacing backwards and forwards."

Gray called 111 and then, he told the court, people started screaming: "He's back, he's coming back".

Gray said he had no idea if the alleged attacker was in a car or on foot.

"I was asking people to get away from the gate. I could hear a vehicle rev up and a car start to accelerate rapidly down the street."

He said he saw the car moving fast down Hastie Ave.

"I did hear a thud. It sounded like he had hit something."

Gray said witnesses then started screaming that the car had struck someone.

"It was then that I noticed Sa," he said, referring to 32-year-old factory worker Kaisala.

"There was no effort to slow down, no trying to avoid any obstacle.

"Sa turned and she tried to run. She probably only got a few metres before the car hit her and pushed her into the back of a parked car," Gray said.

"She hit that car very, very hard. The car then backed up. I watched as Sa fell away like a ragdoll. I could tell she wasn't going to get back up again."

Gray said the car then quickly backed out of the site.

Witness Anosiosio Leafi told the trial she was aware Niumagamaga and Matamua had an argument that day.

"I saw his face. He was angry," Leafi said of the alleged murderer.

Leafi believed Kaisala came out of the factory to see what was going on after the argument, before the car approached.

"I saw Sa was standing. Sa saw the car and then she ran."

Apart from murder and attempted murder charges, Niumagumagu is accused of assault with a weapon for allegedly hitting another Oji worker, Abdul Riyaz.

The court earlier heard Riyaz tried chasing Niumagumagu away.

The trial continues.