Husband mocked by men who lay in wait

By Stacey Bodger

ROTORUA - The men accused of murdering Beverly Bouma mocked her husband, Henk, for not seeing them lying in wait near the couple's Reporoa farmhouse.

On the opening day of the murder trial, crown prosecutor John McDonald told the High Court at Rotorua that Mrs Bouma was shot in the neck while naked and bound during an aggravated robbery by the four men on November 30 last year.

The accused - David Tuhua Poumako, aged 25, Dillon Hitaua, 23, Luke Timothy James Hirai Reihana, 18, and Mark Peter Benny Reihana, 17 - all pleaded guilty to the robbery but denied murdering Mrs Bouma, aged 45.

In an unusual move, defence counsel were invited to outline their cases.

Harry Edward, lawyer for Poumako, accepted that his client had shot Mrs Bouma but said he discharged the gun accidentally when she lunged at it.

The claim drew gasps and tears from friends and family of Mrs Bouma in one half of a packed gallery.

Mr McDonald said that after working on farm accounts in his computer room, Mr Bouma noticed movement in the darkness outside and went to the back door to investigate.

After looking outside, Mr Bouma locked the door and a short while later said goodnight to his wife and went to bed.

Mrs Bouma put the family cat out the back door and went to bed without relocking it.

Mr McDonald said the Boumas woke to find Hitaua, armed with the rifle, and Poumako, wielding a large crescent spanner, beside their bed.

Mark Reihana, carrying a knife, stood at the doorway with Luke Reihana, who shone a torch into the couple's eyes.

The Crown alleges that Poumako jeered at Mr Bouma: "You should have come out and had a better look for us."

The accused men had driven to Plateau Rd in Reporoa about 9 pm, crept across paddocks and watched the Boumas undress and go to bed.

They bound and gagged the pair and demanded Eftpos and credit cards and car keys from them. While Hitaua and Mark Reihana drove to Taupo in the Boumas' Ford Laser car to draw money from the couple's accounts, Luke Reihana guarded Mr Bouma.

Poumako took Mrs Bouma into her daughter's bedroom and cut her nightdress off her.

She was later found with a bullet wound in her lower neck, blood on her face and groin, with her nightdress between her legs.

Mr McDonald said the four loaded gear into the Boumas' car and fled.

Thirty-three crown witnesses, beginning this morning with Mr Bouma, are to be called during the two-week trial.