The man who shot Pakuranga mother of two Chozyn Koroheke has admitted he could at least be guilty of manslaughter.
Turiarangi Tai is on trial in the High Court at Auckland for the murder of Ms Koroheke who died from her injuries after being shot in the abdomen at an address on Pakuranga Rd last year.
Under cross-examination from Crown prosecutor Mark Williams, Tai was unclear on whether or not he pulled the trigger that fired the cartridge that shot Ms Koroheke.
“Do you accept and admit that you are the one who pulled the trigger?” asked Mr Williams.
“I would accept I pulled the trigger, yes,” said Tai, “but never intentionally.”
“You accept you pulled the trigger?” Mr Williams pressed.
“I can’t remember. I don’t remember pulling the trigger,” said Tai.
Tai admitted his actions killed Ms Koroheke, but responded with “I don’t know” when asked if he did it through an unlawful act using the shotgun in question – a 12 gauge double barrelled shotgun, which was loaded with a single cartridge – but Tai claims he “didn’t know it was loaded.”
Tai said he had wanted the gun for protection, but claimed he didn’t know how it worked.
On the night of Ms Koroheke’s death, Tai told the court he entered the room with the shotgun in his hand.
He said Ms Koroheke’s brother, Nacyn, clenched his fists and jaw and he pointed the shotgun at him because he wanted to “scare him”.
“It was just a heat of the moment thing, I was scared he was going to attack,” said Tai.
The trial, in front of Justice Matthew Muir and a jury is expected to wrap up next week.
