Whakatāne murder-accused's jury trial begins

Whakatāne murder accused Dallas Fraser Hohua is on trial in the Rotorua High Court Photo / NZME

A Tāneatua man is on trial accused of murdering another man who died In Whakatāne Hospital last year.

Dallas Fraser Tihini Hohua, 57, whose jury trial began in the Rotorua High Court today, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murdering Lani Paul in Whakatāne on October 23 last year.

A jury of four men and eight women was empanelled today and a jury foreman selected before Justice Matthew Muir spoke to them at length about the trial process.

Justice Muir then sent the jury home, saying due to Covid-19 restrictions Hohua's lawyers needed more time to finalise some matters.

He said the trial would resume on Wednesday with the Crown prosecutor's opening address to the jury and possibly a brief statement from the defence.

Justice Muir said more details about the murder charge would be revealed on Wednesday and he urged jury members not to search the internet nor post anything on social media to protect the Crown and Hohua's rights to a fair trial.