Trio acquitted of 2007 murder

William Taikato was murdered in Welcome Bay, Tauranga, in 2007. Photo / Supplied

Three Bay of Plenty men have been acquitted by a judge of murdering a man three years ago.

After days of legal argument in the absence of the jury, Justice Joseph Williams in the High Court in Rotorua discharged Mark Haimona Puata, David Peter James Anderson and John Aitken over the murder of William Taikato at Welcome Bay, Tauranga, in December 2007.

Anderson was also discharged on a count of being an accessory after the fact of Mr Taikato's murder.

Pouata was discharged earlier in the week on a charge of murdering Darrell Crawford at Te Puke, near Tauranga, in August 2007.

The discharges came after the three-week trial was peppered with prolonged legal argument in the jury's absence.

When the jury returned this morning Justice Williams told them the steps he was taking were very exceptional, but were necessary as a result of the way the evidence had flowed and "intense" arguments put by defence counsel.

Police believe that Mr Taikato and Mr Crawford were murdered over a drugs deal. Their bodies have never been found.

- NZPA