Prasad murder: Accused sent text to victim after murder

Shivneel Kumar (left) and Bryne Permal flank a security guard in the High Court at Auckland.

The man accused of burning his friend to death sent him a text message a week after, saying whoever committed the murder "deserves to be in jail for good".

Shivneel Kumar, 20, and Bryne Permal, 22, are on trial in the High Court at Auckland charged with the murder of 21-year-old Shalvin Prasad, whose smouldering body was found on a rural South Auckland road on the morning of January 31, 2013.

The previous day, the victim withdrew his life savings of $30,050 -- in $100 and $50 bills -- from a Manukau bank while Kumar waited outside, the Crown says.

At the start of the trial last week prosecutor Aaron Perkins told the jury Kumar was "the instigator and driving force" behind the alleged crime against his mate.

"He considered a sum of money was worth more than Mr Prasad's life," he said.

This afternoon the court heard Kumar sent a text message to the victim on February 5.

"Bro RIP. Whoever did this to you deserves to be in jail for good," he wrote.

"Can't talk to you though so thought I'd text you to get it out ... you were going to be uncle to my son bro ... we wish you safely reached heaven bro. We will miss you."

The Crown described the sentiment behind the message as "bogus".

When Kumar became a person of interest in the investigation, police were given a warrant to intercept his phone calls.

They were translated from Fijian Hindi into English by Constable Amit Prasad, who read the transcripts for the jury.

Two days after the alleged murder, at 8.36pm, Kumar's dad called him from a wedding at which the news of Mr Prasad's death had been discussed.

He told his son to "be careful" and not to drink any alcohol.

"Don't call me now because there are people around me and they'll be listening," Mr Kumar senior said.

His son reassured him there was nothing to worry about but called Permal less than 10 minutes later telling him to come over to the house.

"Make sure you come alone," Kumar said.

The impromptu meeting did not happen and the pair spoke again at 8.57pm.

Kumar told his co-accused four times to "watch the news".

"We're good, eh?" Permal asked.

"Yeah, we're good. Don't worry," Kumar said.

There are five more intercepted phone calls which will be revealed to the jury later in the trial, as well as a conversation the defendants had in a car, which the Crown suggested would be extremely significant.

The trial before Justice Geoffrey Venning and a jury of six women and six men is scheduled to last another three weeks.

Shivneel Kumar's text message to Shalvin Prasad at 8pm on February 5, 2013:

"Bro RIP. Whoever did this to you deserves to be in jail for good. Can't believe you're gone man and I saw you that day. I told you to f***ing come to town man. Can't talk to you though so thought I'd text you to get it out. Thanks for the times you had my back bro and helped me out. You will be forever missed. You were going to be uncle to my son bro. Anyways from my whole family. We wish you safely reached heaven bro. We will miss you"