Identities of nine people accused of murdering Mitchell Te Kani revealed

Nine people accused of murdering Tauranga man Mitchell Te Kani on May 14, 2022 are heading to trial. Photo / Supplied

The identities of nine people accused of murdering Tauranga father Mitchell Te Kani and assaulting several other people can now be revealed.

Eight men and a woman have pleaded not guilty to a joint charge of murdering the 51-year-old at a Maungatapu Rd property on May 14 last year. They will defend the allegations at a jury trial in the High Court at Hamilton on February 12 next year, which is expected to take six weeks.

Police were initially called to a disorder incident at the residential address and found Te Kani dead.

Some of the defendants appeared in the High Court at Tauranga on Wednesday for case review hearings, while others had their attendances excused by Justice Neil Campbell, who lifted name suppression for the final four defendants.

The Bay of Plenty Times has obtained confirmation of the charges against the nine defendants and two other people also facing charges relating to their conduct after Te Kani’s death.

The murder accused are Kevin Allan Bailey, 29, Shem Williams, 31, both from Gate Pa, Mihaka Ratahi, 31, Pāpāmoa, Kiri Mererina Pini, 41, Bodine Umuroa, 41, and Hamiora Jack-Kino, 26, (all from Parkvale); Huntly man Jahvaun Te Ari Layne, 27 and Jamie Robin Thomas, 36, of Fordlands in Rotorua.

The ninth murder accused is Hamiora Bennett, 34, from Brookfield.

All nine have also pleaded not guilty to two joint charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one joint charge each of assault with intent to injure, and injuring with intent to injure, which relates to four other people on May 14, 2022.

Pini and Umuroa, who were the first two defendants arrested shortly after Te Kani died, have also denied a charge of aggravated burglary allegedly involving a pipe wrench, plus further assault charges, while Umuroa will also defend two charges of threatening to do grievous bodily harm to two other people.

Williams and Ratahi have also pleaded not guilty to charges of wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice.

That includes Williams allegedly cleaning out his vehicle in an attempt to remove forensic evidence, and Ratahi has denied coaching one of his alleged co-offenders on what to tell the police about the incident that allegedly led to Te Kani’s death.

Name suppression has also been lifted for Pāpāmoa woman Kate Shepherd, who has pleaded not guilty to five charges of attempting to obstruct the course of justice.

Those charges include allegations that she made a false statement to police, washed an item of clothing worn by Ratahi in an attempt to dispose of forensic evidence and advised him what to tell the police about Mitchell Te Kani’s death.

Haimona Ormsby, 33, from the Eastern Bay of Plenty has also denied one charge each of attempting to pervert the course of justice and conspiring to pervert the course of justice, includes an allegation he arranged to store items of clothing worn by Ratahi.

Justice Campbell remanded all defendants in custody or on continued bail to appear in the High Court at Tauranga on June 7, for a pre-trial hearing.

Police are still investigating the case and want anyone with information to call 105 and quote the file number 220515/3688.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.