A 51-year-old South Auckland man has pleaded guilty to murder, six months after firefighters made a gruesome discovery while responding to a house fire in Manurewa.
Poi Tinei briefly stood before Justice Mark Woolford in the High Court at Auckland today as he entered the plea. The judge remanded him in custody to await sentencing.
Firefighters were called to a Kainga Ora home on Nina Pl just after midnight on September 18. Neighbours said the blaze lit up the night sky, leaving only a torched, bare structure behind.
Inside the home, they found the body of Teao Ida Wiki, who was known to some by the nickname Lumpy.
Police said at the time that a man had also suffered “serious burn injuries” and was taken to hospital for treatment. Days later, Tinei was charged with assault during a bedside court hearing while he remained in hospital.
