Epsom brothel homicide: Accused named, declared fit for trial and pleads not guilty

Police at the scene of the alleged murder in March. Photo / Ben Leahy

The man accused of killing Auckland gentlemen's club manager Zion Gutnik can now be named and has pleaded not guilty to murder.

Jiann-Hwa Maa, 60, appeared in the High Court at Auckland this morning via video link from custody and was aided by a Mandarin interpreter.

Justice Sally Fitzgerald ordered that his interim name suppression was to lapse today.

Maa also pleaded not guilty to murdering Gutnik after Justice Fitzgerald made a finding that he is not mentality impaired and is fit to stand trial.

The case will return to court in August.

Gutnik, 30, was found dead at an Epsom brothel in March. He was a manager at the establishment, known as Club 574.

Police were called to the premises just after midnight on March 10 and "whilst making inquiries at the address discovered the deceased man".

Several weeks passed before Maa was arrested in late April.

The investigation into Gutnik's death, dubbed Operation Anniston, was headed by acting Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, who has said Gutnik knew his alleged killer.