Cockle Bay blaze: Men accused of murder deny charges

Two men accused of murder after Wiremu Arapo died in an East Auckland fire have pleaded not guilty.

It's expected both will go to trial in 2022.

At the High Court in Auckland on Wednesday, a trial date of March 7 next year was set for the men.

The court heard the trial would take up to four weeks.

On Wednesday, one man was remanded in custody until his trial.

The other man's bail continued. He had a few supporters in court for the hearing.

The men, from Papatoetoe and Mangere, were jointly charged with murder after the October house fire in Cockle Bay near Howick.

The accused killers both have interim name suppression.

The matter will next be heard on March 31 this year for a case review.

A neighbour said Arapo set up a fitness business in the garage of the Minerva Tce house during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Cockle Bay home caught fire shortly after 7pm on October 20.

Arapo died and two other people who were injured in the fire were hospitalised.