Victims proven liars - lawyer

A lawyer acting for a restaurant owner who allegedly ordered his staff to attack a worker who quit over poor pay says the victims were "proven liars" who were after their boss's money.

John Haigh, QC, told an Auckland District Court jury yesterday there was no evidence the owner was at the North Auckland address where Akbar Singh and Bashan Singh were assaulted on June 10, 2007.

The restaurant owner and three of his staff, who all have name suppression, face charges of unlawfully detaining Akbar Singh and Bashan Singh, kidnapping using a firearm, causing Bashan Singh grievous bodily harm with intent, and assaulting Akbar Singh with intent.

Bashan Singh said that after he resigned from the restaurant, his boss would not return passports belonging to him and Akbar Singh.

He said that on the day of the resignation, Sunday June 10, 2007, up to eight restaurant staff - including the boss - assaulted the pair and held a gun to Akbar Singh's head for several minutes.

Earlier in the trial, which is in its last day today, Bashan Singh told of trying to escape from the workers by scaling a balcony wall but he fell to the ground.

They then allegedly set upon him by punching, kicking and stomping on his torso and legs.

Mr Haigh said if the charges weren't so serious they would be a "melodramatic farce". He accepted people went to see the men and tried to persuade them to stay or work out their notice, but maintained his client wasn't there.

"This is a concentrated series of lies to try and implicate this man here [the boss], because he's got the money."

The Crown case was speculative and full of contrived allegations. The Crown hadn't come within a "bull's roar" of proving the case against the restaurant owner, he said.

Simon Lance said his client, one of the three workers, had nothing to do with Bashan's fall from the balcony. He told the court the accused tried to help Bashan - not hurt him.

Prosecutor Ross Burns, in his closing address, said the intention of the accused when they went to see the men was to hold them there and, if necessary, use violence.

The judge will sum up the case today and then the jury will begin its deliberations.