Three gang members are on trial for the murder of an 82-year-old pensioner who died after a fire started in his block of flats, allegedly as part of a gang initiation ceremony.
Prosecution case
Prosecutors say the three men used Molotov cocktails to start fires on three separate occasions to earn patches from the Mangu Kaha motorcycle gang. On different nights in October and November 2024, multiple gang members allegedly travelled to the block of flats to start fires. While the first two blazes were dealt with by firefighters or put out by rain, the third fire successfully ignited a storage unit on the property, according to the prosecution.
The suspects allegedly fled the scene. Smoke from the fire filled the flat of 82-year-old Ian David Moller, who police described as "an elderly man who deserved to live out his last years in a safe place, in the heart of the community he loved". Despite being rushed to hospital, Moller died five days later from carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation.
Defendants and charges
Prosecutors allege the fire was started by Mangu Kaha gang members Arden Neho, Reardon Kamaru and Henare Barber. They face charges of murder and arson. Barber is also accused of directing the attacks. Police say evidence from phones confiscated during their arrest points to planning of the three alleged arson attacks.
A fourth man, Shyheim Aiga, has reportedly pleaded guilty in relation to the first two fires and will be sentenced separately, according to the New Zealand Herald.
Defence response
The trio have pleaded not guilty. Defence lawyers asked the jury to keep an open mind. Kamaru’s lawyer Marty Robinson told the jury: “whatever you think of them, a patch is not a fingerprint, it doesn’t tie a person to a fire, it doesn’t light a match in their hand or start a fire.”
The trial is expected to last five weeks.
