A man slain in an “unprovoked” Auckland bus attack has been remembered as a “gentle giant” as his alleged killer appeared in court.
The 36-year-old suspect was arrested yesterday afternoon in the Auckland CBD after two people were stabbed on the number 76 bus on Monday night. One of them later died.
The defendant made his first appearance in the Auckland District Court this afternoon.
Court documents show he is charged with murdering Sefo Leger, 59, and wounding another man, Gerard Katu, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
If convicted, the defendant could face up to 14 years in prison on the wounding charge and life imprisonment on the charge of murder.
He appeared in the dock wearing a blue, police-issue boiler suit and flanked by security.
Defence lawyer Philip Hamlin sought a remand in custody and interim name suppression.
He said “assessments” needed to be made and it had been “difficult getting instructions”.
Judge Steve Bonnar, KC, remanded the man in custody and granted interim name suppression until his next appearance in the High Court at Auckland on January 28.
The judge allowed media to take photographs of the man as he stood in the dock.
A friend of Leger’s family told Stuff he was a “character of all sorts”.
“He was a gentle giant. He has a lot of friends within the community here. It’s just a real shock.”
Police released a statement formally naming Leger as the victim, and expressing their “deepest sympathies to Mr Leger’s whānau for their loss, especially at this time of the year”.
“This senseless crime has impacted many across the community and our thoughts are with you,” Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said.
The Glen Innes community is reeling after Monday’s violence.
A 59-year-old man died after an alleged “unprovoked attack” on the number 76 bus as it travelled from Glen Innes towards Ōrākei on Monday night.
Police believe the alleged offender got on the bus at 7.53pm on Apirana Ave.
“The first victim boarded the bus at 7.56pm and travelled a short distance before moving to exit the bus at 7.58pm,” Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said.
“The only other passenger aboard initiated an attack on the victim, before he could exit the bus near Fenchurch St in Glen Innes.
“An ambulance ... transported the man to hospital, where he later died from those injuries.”
Baldwin said the second unprovoked assault began when the suspected offender approached the victim at the rear of the bus.
“The offender initiated a fight and quickly produced a knife and assaulted the victim,” he said.
“After a short confrontation, the second victim managed to flee from the bus, along with another passenger and the bus driver, near the bus stop at Coates Ave and Kepa Rd.”
The alleged attacker got off the bus about this time and was last seen fleeing on foot.
The second victim was taken to Auckland City Hospital with serious injuries.
A bus was seized on Nehu St, Ōrākei, as part of the police investigation.
A man, 36, is now in police custody after his arrest yesterday afternoon in the Auckland CBD.
“Information was received from the public, subsequent to our earlier appeal today, which indicated our suspect was in the CBD this afternoon,” Baldwin said yesterday.
“Police staff flooded the lower downtown area, quickly gaining observations of the man.”
Baldwin said he was quickly and safely taken into custody at the corner of Commerce and Fort Sts.
The man killed was “loved by the community”, said a local, who wished to be anonymous.
The local said the wounded man got off the bus outside the Fenchurch shops and sat on a set of blue pallets.
In a video, the victim could be seen calmly walking, clutching his chest, before he sits, and a woman rushes to him and starts to rally people to help.
A man brings towels to try to stem the flow of blood.
“It’s really sad. People are really, really sad,” the local said.
He was shocked that the man, who was not one to start fights with people, could be the victim of such a violent act.
He also said he did not want the community to get a bad rap, especially after violence in the area in recent days.
“These are good people who live around here, families. This isn’t us.”
An Auckland Transport spokesperson said AT was assisting police and providing support to the bus driver.
“We are very saddened to hear about these incidents, and our thoughts are with the victims, their families and our bus operator who was present.
“Our buses all have CCTV cameras on board and we are working closely with police.”
Josephine Bartley, ward councillor for Maungakiekie Tāmaki, urged anyone with information to contact police.
Bartley posted a video on social media while taking the 76 bus and said AT officers had been deployed on buses.
“I think people are wanting reassurance that it’s safe to get back on the bus,” Bartley said.
“I won’t lie, I am looking carefully at who’s boarding the bus.”
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