Sao Yean's body was dumped on farmland near Gordonton in 2020.
Sao Yean's body was dumped on farmland near Gordonton in 2020.
Warning: Contains graphic content
The severely battered, broken and decomposing body of a Hamilton man was found face down in a water trough on a rural farm.
Sao Yean, also known as Sao Young, was found dead by a farmer at the Ballard Rd, Gordonton, property on April 13, 2020, exactly one month after he was last seen alive.
A forensic examination later found numerous broken bones; mostly in his head, along with his shoulder blade, which the Crown alleges were the result of a serious assault by four accused on trial for Yean’s murder in the High Court at Hamilton.
Neha Wiremu Grey, Daniel James Payne, Mihingarangi Tynneal Rameka and Anton Rite all denied multiple charges, including murder, when their trial began before a jury this afternoon.
Rameka faces three charges of kidnapping, three of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one of murder.
Payne and Grey are fighting five charges; three of kidnapping, one of wounding with intent to cause GBH, and one of murder.
Crown prosecutor Duncan McWilliam said Rameka provided drugs at a New Year’s Eve party in 2019 which led to the death of their friend Christopher Matatahi and hospitalised three others after a party at his house in Casey Ave, Hamilton.
Text messages will allegedly show Rameka receiving a text from a friend the next morning asking where Matatahi was.
Her friend texts that he’s died “cos of that s*** we had”.
“What the f***,” Rameka replied. “I hope I’m not getting the blame.”
Rameka texts back that she got the drugs, a powdered substance, from a Mongrel Mob friend, “scar dogg”, and again reiterated that hoped she wasn’t going to get the blame.
She states she would track down those responsible.
“That c*** needs a hiding ... that or a bullet.”
Mihingarangi Tynneal Rameka in the dock at the High Court in Hamilton on trial for the murder of Sao Yean aka Sao Young in March 2020. Photo / Belinda Feek
McWilliam alleged that even though Rameka knew she had to bear some responsibility for the “bad drugs”, she instead contacts her friend, Payne, who embarks on what he thinks is seeking justice for Matatahi’s death.
The search began with those who attended the party.
The first victim was patched Mongrel Mob Notorius member, Dean Mihinui.
He was brought back to Rameka’s property on March 3 by her stepsister after she saw him drive past their Byron Rd, Enderley, home, and then beaten on her front lawn, waking up neighbours who would then call police.
Rameka would later text a friend how she “BEAT PATCH [sic] MEMBER UP”.
Murder accused Daniel Payne in the High Court at Hamilton. Photo / Belinda Feek
The next target, on March 12, was Jesse Whitiora, who attended the party and, along with his girlfriend, also suffered the effects of the “bad drugs”’.
He was also a friend of 40-year-old Yean.
Whitiora was taken to Rameka’s house, where she was on electronically monitored bail, and beaten in various rooms of the house, before being taken to the shed.
He was then put in the boot of a car and driven to Casey Ave by Payne and Grey, McWilliam said.
Matatahi’s partner was still living at the property and the pair told her they were going to bury Whitiora in the same place Matatahi died.
She ultimately talked them out of doing anything, saying Whitiora wasn’t involved, and the pair put him back in the boot before dumping him on the side of Clarkin Rd.
Yean’s name was first mentioned in a conversation between Rameka and associate, Narath Chourn.
Rameka told Chourn to bring Yean, whose nickname was “Black”, to her house.
Chourn later texted Rameka, early on March 13, that, “I have got your guy”.
Anton Rite in the dock at the High Court at Hamilton. Photo / Belinda Feek
Yean, who didn’t attend the New Year’s Eve party, was then brutally assaulted, over more than three hours, which left him either dead or near dead, McWilliam told the jury.
About 6.15am, he was put into the boot of Reti’s borrowed blue two-door BMW, and together with Grey, eventually driven to a rural farm, covered in maize, on Ballard Rd around 7am on March 13.
CCTV from Zealong Tea captured the distinct vehicle driving past around that time.
As that was happening a clean-up began at Rameka’s house, including her garage, where the carpet was ripped up and left outside in the elements for so long, it would be unable to be forensically tested, an expert witness would later say in the trial, McWilliam said.
Meanwhile, Yean was discovered exactly a month after his disappearance by a farmer who told police that part of the farm was full of maize that was harvested in early April.
Yean suffered multiple fractures to his skull, jaw and chin area, eye socket and hand, while his shoulder blade was fractured to the point it was a “clean break”, McWilliam said.
He told the jury that it didn’t matter where Yean was killed, either Byron Rd or at Gordonton, “the fact is he received a severe beating at Byron Rd where these four people were present” and all acted with a common unlawful purpose.
“It was Rameka who had these three people delivered to her property at Byron Rd and in the case of Mr Whitiora and Mr Yean, it was Rameka who called on Payne to come over and get involved with the assaults.”
Neha Wiremu Grey is accused of multiple charges in relation to the alleged murder of Sao Yean aka Sao Young in March 2020.
Photo / Belinda Feek
Jessica Tarrant, on behalf of her client Grey, told the jury the only thing he was responsible for was helping Rite dispose of Yean’s body in Gordonton.
He should have been charged with being an accessory after murder - not murder itself.
“He could not, and will not, accept responsibility for anything else.”
Quentin Duff - for Payne - said his client did not take part in any of the assaults and was not guilty of all charges.
