Manslaughter verdicts in drug case

Three men accused of murdering a man in Auckland in what prosecutors say was retribution for a drug robbery were today found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

The jury of six men and six women at the High Court in Auckland found Tuale Fuimaono, Ahmad Matlobyaygazwini and Ali Rafiee guilty of the manslaughter of Bjorn Henderson after nearly three days of deliberations.

Mr Henderson was dumped outside Auckland Hospital's emergency department late on March 9 last year.

He was pronounced dead early the next day.

The crown said the accused trio planned to attack Mr Henderson following an attack three days earlier by him on Matlobyaygazwini, an Iranian immigrant with New Zealand citizenship.

Mr Henderson made off with methamphetamine, or P, and some cash following that attack.

Justice Graham Lang set a sentencing date on October 22.

- NZPA