By RNZ
The man accused of murdering Christchurch real estate agent Yanfei Bao has sacked his lawyers and is representing himself at his High Court trial.
Chinese national Tingjun Cao, 53, sat at a table between his former defence counsel and a trio of translators on Wednesday morning.
Justice Lisa Preston told the jury Cao planned to conduct his own defence and that she believed it was in the interests of justice to proceed with the trial.
His former defence lawyers, Colin Eason and Joshua Macleod, were appointed standby counsel.