June 2022 trial set for Waiohau murder accused trio

A trial date was set for three Waiohau murder accused in the Tauranga High Court on December 8. Photo / NZME

Three men accused of murdering Whakātane man Jamaine Wharton will defend the allegation at their jury trial in June next year.

Wharton, 31, died on February 28 this year after allegedly being assaulted and stabbed at a 21st birthday party in Waiohau Rugby Clubrooms near Whakātane

He was taken to Whakātane Hospital where he died hours later.

Roger Tutakangahua, 25, and Billie-Dean Raina, 20, are both charged with Wharton's murder and also participating in an organised criminal group.

A third defendant, who has been granted interim name suppression, will also defend a charge of murdering Wharton.

The three defendants whose court cases were called in the Tauranga High Court yesterday earlier pleaded not guilty to their charges.

The defendants' lawyers confirmed to Justice Graham Lang that there were no pre-trial matters to be dealt with at this stage in the proceedings.

Crown prosecutor Duncan McWilliams said a firm three-week jury trial could be scheduled to begin in late June next year, with the Crown's case was expected to take two weeks.

McWilliams also said a number of items of interest had been sent to the ESR for forensic analysis and results were expected back in the new year.

He said if there were any pre-trial matters arising from those findings, he would inform the defence lawyers and the court.

Justice Lang confirmed a three-week trial for the defendants would begin in the Rotorua High Court on June 27.

He further remanded Raina on bail and both Tutakangahua and the third defendant were remanded in custody.

A fourth man, aged 41, will defend a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice at a judge-alone trial next year.