Victim 'hysterical' on last night alive

Some members of Barbara Moka's family listening to the evidence left the public gallery in tears.

Barbara Moka screamed for help while accusing her partner of trying to kill her hours before she went missing from a marae, a jury has heard.

Giving evidence in the High Court yesterday, Charlie Reid said he was on his way home from Omanaia's Te Piiti Marae in the early hours of June 9 last year when he came across a car in a ditch and Ms Moka and her partner Matiu Korewha standing near the car on the road.

Korewha is accused of murdering Ms Moka and dumping her body in a pile of rubbish.

Mr Reid said he had been drinking with others after a tangi at the marae on June 8 before he decided to go home but couldn't because his car was blocked by other vehicles.

He slept in the car until other cars moved and then left.

Mr Reid said he stopped on the way to see if the couple needed a lift back to the marae to which Korewha replied: "That would be great."

He said Ms Moka screamed for help, ran in front of his car and sat next to him in the front passenger's seat.

Korewha, he said, chased her and tried to pull her out of the car by holding her leg.

When asked the exact words Ms Moka screamed, Ms Reid said: "Help me, help me please, he's trying to kill me."

He said Ms Moka repeated the words after she sat beside him.

Some members of Ms Moka's family listening to the evidence left the public gallery in tears.

Mr Reid said Ms Moka stopped resisting and went to sit beside Korewha in the back seat before they made their way back to the marae.

He said after he dropped them off, Korewha put his arm around her shoulder and both walked towards the marae.

Ms Moka seemed "hysterical" while Korewha was quiet when both were seen standing by the roadside, he said.

Defence lawyer Catherine Cull asked Mr Reid whether he thought the couple were just squabbling. He replied yes. Mr Reid said he had no concerns for Ms Moka when he dropped them off at the marae.