Police name Naenae murder accused as Wipuhara Kapene

By RNZ

• Wipuhara Kapene has been named as the man accused of killing Albert Enoka in Lower Hutt.
• Enoka, a Tribesmen gang member, was shot on Seddon St in Naenae on December 10.
• Kapene was arrested on Christmas Eve and charged with murder and firearm possession, with a High Court appearance in January.

The man accused of shooting and killing Albert Enoka in Lower Hutt this month can now be named as Wipuhara Kapene.

Enoka, who was a member of the Tribesmen gang and a former president of the Rebels Motorcycle Club’s Christchurch chapter, died on December 10 after being shot on Seddon St in Naenae.

He was found critically injured about 3.15pm, but died at the scene.

Police opened a homicide investigation and began searching for Kapene, saying he was armed and dangerous and should not be approached.

Kapene was arrested and charged with murder on Christmas Eve after police executed several search warrants in Wairarapa – although they did not at the time name the man arrested.

Kapene appeared at the Wellington District Court from prison via an audio-visual link on Friday.

The charges of murder and possession of a firearm were transferred to the High Court at Wellington, where he will appear in January.

Kapene told the court he wanted name suppression, but no application was entered, given his name had widely been reported in relation to the case.

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.