KEY POINTS:
A Korean man's rage at his partner's visit to the Sky City Casino led to him starting a fire at her workplace in which she died, a jury was told today.
Chul Jun Cho is on trial in the High Court in Auckland for the murder of Misook Kim, at the dental surgery where which she worked in west Auckland on February 3 last year.
Cho is also accused of attempting to murder his brother-in-law, Choonsik Moon, and of arson. He denies all three charges.
Opening the Crown case, prosecutor Christine Gordon said Cho was angry at the visit Ms Kim made to Sky City Casino in Auckland two days before her death with Dr Moon and his wife, Cho's sister Yeon Jun Cho.
Ms Gordon said Cho visited her at Dr Moon's dental surgery on February 3, with a crowbar and a container of liquid accelerant. He smashed a printer and the wall with the crowbar, and poured the liquid on the floor.
Ms Gordon said he then sparked a cigarette lighter, which ignited vapour created when pouring the liquid. Ms Kim burned to death in the ensuing fire.
Ms Gordon said the Crown did not believe Mr Cho's assertion to police afterwards that he only meant to scare Ms Kim and did not meant to start the fire.
Evidence is expected to be produced from at least 39 Crown witnesses in the trial, which is scheduled for up to three weeks.
- NZPA
