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A former Chinese student spent much of his 21st birthday in Auckland helping friends who had killed Wan Biao, a court has been told.
Yin Lianda also told the High Court in Auckland that flatmate Li Zheng gave him a detailed account of how he and their friend Cui Xiangxin drugged, kidnapped and then killed Mr Wan.
Mr Yin, now 22, was giving evidence at the trial of Cui, Li and Wang Yuxi, Chinese students all aged 22.
All three are charged with kidnapping and murdering 19-year-old Mr Wan, whose body was found in a suitcase floating in Waitemata Harbour on April 14 last year.
The Crown says Cui and Li carried out the offences at a hotel room in downtown Auckland and that Wang, who flatted with Li and Mr Yin, was a party to the offences.
Mr Yin was originally charged with being an accessory to murder but has been given immunity from prosecution.
He told the court that April 14 last year was his 21st birthday, and he helped get a taxi for Cui and Li from the Elliott St hotel after midnight on his birthday because his English was better.
He did so and they carried the suitcase with Mr Wan's body to Princes Wharf, where it was disposed of.
Mr Yin said he told Li at the flat later that he was worried the suitcase would not sink, and they agreed Wang should go back to the wharf to look for it.
While Wang was searching for the suitcase, Mr Yin said Li told him what happened in the Elliott St hotel room.
Mr Yin said that Li told him that he and Cui spiked Mr Wan's alcoholic drink before taping him to a chair and demanding a ransom of 4 million yuan (about $800,000) by phone from his parents.
Li told him that he and Cui then strangled him with a hotel towel until Mr Wan was not moving.
Mr Yin said Li told him he then stabbed Mr Yin in the neck with a knife because "he wanted to be 100 per cent sure that Wan Biao was dead".
Li then told him the pair tried to cut Mr Wan's head off with a saw but they found it difficult, at which time they rang Mr Yin seeking a suitcase to put his body in.
Still concerned about the suitcase not sinking, Mr Yin said he and Cui went back to the wharf about 7am. With no trace of the suitcase, the pair went to the Elliott St hotel.
Cui went to the room and returned with a pair of rubber gloves and then left, heading to Auckland Airport as Mr Yin understood it. Mr Yin went back with the gloves to the flat.
After waking up at 3pm Mr Yin read about a body discovered in a suitcase on Waitemata Harbour on a website. He alerted Li, who told him not to worry.
Later that night Li, Wang and some other friends helped Mr Yin celebrate his birthday before hearing later that evening from Cui, who Li said was in Australia.
Mr Yin said Li told him he asked Cui to call Mr Wan's parents again.
Cross-examination of Mr Yin at the trial before Justice John Priestley and a jury of seven women and five men is expected to begin tomorrow.
- NZPA
