A man who has confessed to assaulting and robbing two French hitchhikers in Papamoa last year has told a jury the other robber was his Mount Maunganui mate who also drove the car.
Bo-Tamati Rawiri, 26, from Ngaruawahia is giving evidence against Che Teraumate Bridger, 25, of Mount Maunganui whose trial began in Tauranga District Court today.
Bridger has denied two counts of aggravated robbery.
The charges stem from an allegation that Bridger together with Rawiri robbed the 21-year-old Frenchmen who had been hitchhiking from Tauranga to Rotorua on July 7 last year.
Rawiri told the court that he was seated in the front passenger seat and Bridger was driving his mother's car when they picked the two complainants up near Papamoa Domain Rd.
They then drove their beat seat passengers to the former Shell service station on SH2, near Welcome Bay turn-off, which is where the robbery occurred.
The tourists, who were robbed of their passports, cash and other property, received minor injuries. Some of the stolen property was located at Rawiri's partner's house.
Bridger denies being involved.
The trial is expected to take five days.
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