Shayde Carolyn Weston, Breeze Hunt-Weston, Louise Kelly Hume and Pania Ella Waaka Photo: Stuff / Juan Zarama Perini
A witness in the Crown's case who has previously been sentenced for her role in the death of Rau Tongia claims she cannot recall many details from that time.
A murder trial is underway in the High Court in Wellington where 4 women - Shayde Carolyn Weston, Breeze Hunt-Weston, Louise Kelly Hume, and Pania Ella Waaka - have all pleaded not guilty to murder charges.
The Crown alleges Tongia was shot in the back while he slept at a house in Wellington's Karori in December 2020, and each of the women played a role in the lead up to his death.
In the hours before Tongia's death, the Crown alleged he assaulted Weston and his death was a revenge killing.
The Crown believed Weston either pulled the trigger or assisted in the shooting, Waaka drove Weston to the address, Hunt-Weston lent them the car to get there, and Hume supplied the gun used.
A fifth woman was also set to go on trial charged with murder but was excused due to health reasons.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Colvin was charged back in 2022 with accessory after the fact to murder for hiding a gun believed to be used in Tongia's death.
On Thursday she was called to the witness stand.
CCTV footage
Earlier in the trial police presented a series of CCTV footage they had collected.
The footage shows a silver BMW travelling from Petone to Halswell Lodge on Kent Terrace about 2am on 20 December 2020. It is then tracked from there to Karori, arriving at Percy Dyett Drive about 2.23am, where three people are seen getting out of the car.
Camera footage then shows the BMW heading towards Crofton Downs via Onslow Road. The Crown has alleged that this is the area Hume lived and where the murder weapon was likely obtained from.
Colvin said she had gone to Halswell Lodge to pick up Hunt-Weston and another person to collect Weston who had been injured after being assaulted by Tongia in Karori.
When questioned by the Crown why she went via Onslow Road before dropping her passengers back in Wellington, Colvin said she had to get her licence. She said she then returned to Onslow Road.
Text messages
The jury have also heard a number of messages and phone calls between people involved in the case.
Following Tongia's death there were several texts between Colvin and Tain Tararo - who Colvin had been dating.
Tararo was charged with possession of a firearm in relation to Tongia's death in March.
One text told him to hide everything as the man was dead.
Others included references to a "thing" and a "toy" that needed cleaning that Colvin then wanted to pick up.
When asked on the stand Colvin said she didn't recall what the messages were about.
Previously the jury had also heard a selection of text messages and phone calls with either Colvin or Hunt Weston.
Those talked of a gun being found by Police that may have been used in a homicide, and Tricq Brown [a former partner of Colvin's] being arrested as a result, despite not being involved in the homicide.
The trial continues.
