P robbery led to brutal revenge, jury hears

Photo / Martin Sykes

A man who robbed an Iranian-born drug-dealer of P and cash was later "lured" to an Auckland house, trapped and then beaten to death, a court has heard.

Ahmad Matlobyaygazwini, 35, Tuale Joe Fuimaono, 28 and Ali Rafiee, 28, are accused of murdering Bjorn Justin Henderson on March 9 last year.

Crown prosecutor Kristin Lummis told the jury in the High Court at Auckland that Mr Henderson, 27, was a regular drug user.

On March 6 last year, he sent texts to Matlobyaygazwini asking how much half an ounce of P would cost.

Ms Lummis said Mr Henderson met Matlobyaygazwini in a Newmarket motel and forcefully took a large quantity of P and some cash from him, before fleeing to his Hamilton home.

After that robbery, a "furious" Matlobyaygazwini left a message on Mr Henderson's phone telling him he "didn't know who he had just ripped off" and warned, "You can't hide in Hamilton, it isn't a big place."

The Crown alleges he decided to exact revenge against Mr Henderson for what had occurred and "lured" him to an address on the Ellerslie/Panmure Highway on March 9.

Mr Henderson was driven to the house by Sasan Mokhtari. When they saw Rafiee was already there they tried to back out - but were blocked in by Fuimaono, who pulled up behind them.

With his car wedged between Fuimaono's car and a concrete wall, Mr Henderson climbed out the passenger's side, jumped over a hedge and ran down the road.

"Unfortunately he didn't get far," Ms Lummis said. "Mr Matlobyaygazwini and Mr Rafiee gave chase and Mr Fuimaono backed his car out of the driveway and followed the others."

When the group caught him they inflicted a number of heavy blows, the most serious a wound to the back of his head that caused his brain to bleed and eventually killed him.

Mr Mokhtari picked Mr Henderson up from where he lay on a driveway and drove him home, where he tried to tend to his wounds. Later that night he drove him into central Auckland.

Two prostitutes he spoke to saw Mr Henderson's bleeding body in the back of the car and told him he should take him to hospital. When the prostitutes later saw the car - with Mr Henderson's body still inside - they insisted Mr Mokhtari take him to hospital and followed him there to make sure he did.

Mr Mokhtari dumped him at Auckland City Hospital and drove off.

When medical staff got to Mr Henderson, he was showing no signs of life.

Ms Lummis said even though one person struck the fatal blow, all the accused were party to the "violent revenge" and were guilty of murder.

The trial has been set down for four weeks.