Body of Barbara Moka hidden in rubbish pile, jury told

Mathew Wilson Korewha is accused of beating to death his partner Barbara Moka and hiding her body on the banks of a small creek. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The partner of slain Northland woman Barbara Ann Moka bashed her to death in a paddock before wrapping her body in a blanket and a dog chain and hiding it under a pile of rubbish, a jury has heard.

Matiu Wirihana Korewha, 44, aka Mathew Wilson Korewha, is facing a charge of murder before a jury of eight women and four men, in a three-week trial that started in the High Court at Whangarei yesterday.

Ms Moka's body was found in bush about 800 metres up a metal farm road from Omanaia's Te Piiti Marae, where she was last seen in the early hours of June 9, 2013.

In his opening address, Crown solicitor Mike Smith said Korewha unexpectedly went to his employer two weeks after her death and confessed to killing her and hiding her body on the banks of a small creek.

Korewha did not own up earlier on because he feared retaliation from Ms Moka's family, Mr Smith told the jury.

He said that, while her family, friends and police frantically searched for Ms Moka, who ran off from the marae followed by her partner on the night of June 8, Korewha took a number of steps to conceal not only her death but also her body.

Mr Smith said Korewha told his employer he went looking for her and, upon finding her, he "lost it".

Although Ms Moka's body was at an advanced stage of decomposition, forensic scientists discovered she had a fractured skull and nose, broken ribs and bruising.

"The nature, number, extent and power of the blows he inflicted and his behaviour and after shows that he murdered Barbara Moka," Mr Smith said.

Korewha sent messages and notices to family and friends inquiring whether anyone had seen her, and even nominated names of people who police should follow up on, he said.

Mr Smith highlighted an incident in January last year when Korewha gave Ms Moka, who had been drinking, two black eyes after becoming angry at the state she was in.

In another incident, she ran off to a school for protection after he chased her.

Her mother Isobel Moka and sister Ladyjane Moka said in evidence they had travelled from Auckland to Omapere to see Ms Moka after she told them about the black eyes.

She was taken to Auckland but returned to Omapere the next day with Korewha, who came to pick her up.

Isobel Moka said her daughter also had bruises on her arms and face from a hiding Korewha gave her because she set up an alcohol tab at a hotel, which he didn't like.

When questioned, she said Korewha told her Ms Moka got the black eye because she was drunk. "I said that's no excuse," she told the court.

Ms Moka's brother Heremaia told the jury he had received a text from Korewha about 10pm on June 9 last year, who asked him to get her to text him. The trial continues before Justice Brendan Brown.