WELLINGTON - A Paeroa man was remanded in custody when he appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of Lower Hutt taxi driver Mohamed Fuard Mohamed Raafi.
Francis Riaz Rauf, aged 20, appeared at the Lower Hutt District Court, sitting in Wellington.
Mr Mohamed Fuard, a 27-year-old who migrated from Sri Lanka three years ago, was fatally wounded during a brutal attack in his taxi in Moera on Thursday night.
Defence counsel Bill Johnson asked for a two-week remand but opposed a police application for a psychiatric report.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Small said Rauf had been arrested at a Lower Hutt address following extensive inquiries.
However, police still needed more information about the taxi driver's interests and activities outside work.
Rauf was remanded until June 27, when a date for a depositions hearing will be set.
Mr Mohamed Fuard's body was wrapped in a shroud for the burial at Makara Cemetery on Sunday in a Muslim funeral attended by more than 100 mourners.
The service had been delayed so that Mr Mohamed Fuard's brother-in-law, Mr Mohamed Wazeer, could travel from Sri Lanka.
- NZPA
Murder accused held in custody
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