Police outside Adelphi Motel Taupo. Photo / NZME
A client holding a leadership position at an Auckland residential drug rehabilitation facility is accused of covering for a Mongrel Mob man on trial for murder.
Henry Mau’u was called as a Crown witness today in the High Court trial in Rotorua of Taupō Mongrel Mob president Teina Williams, 34.
Mau’u repeatedly swore on the witness stand and told Crown Solicitor Amanda Gordon to “get f***ed”, saying “I don’t want to be here”.
Williams is accused of shooting Black Power member Ryan Woodford in the Adelphi Motel at 6.25am on March 6, 2022 at point-blank range in front of Woodford’s partner and children.
It is the Crown case Williams drove to the motel with Marty Durham as a passenger, and knocked on the door of Woodford’s unit while holding a gun with a Mangu Kaha gang patch draped over the top.
When Woodford answered, the Crown says Williams fired one shot, in an execution style killing.
Durham pleaded guilty to manslaughter before the trial started on Monday.
It is the Crown’s case Woodford was killed in an act of retaliation after Black Power and Mongrel Mob gang tensions in Taupō.
Williams was remanded to the Grace Foundation in Auckland with an electronically monitored ankle bracelet at the time of the shooting.
His bracelet went offline for about 12 hours about the time of the shooting, and the Crown has produced CCTV footage showing Williams with tinfoil around his ankle in Te Awamutu hours after the shooting.
The jury has heard “foiling” bracelets involves putting layers of tinfoil around them, which prevents the GPS from working.
Mau’u, who was also on electronically monitored remand, was a house leader at the Grace Foundation - a position of responsibility given to selected clients.
Mau’u said he often looked after the bracelets as part of his role.
He said the Grace Foundation worked differently to other rehabilitation centres as it allowed “their own” to look after each other. He admitted he was often under the influence of methamphetamine while there.
Gordon’s questioning of Mau’u got off to a difficult start when Mau’u said he would not answer questions because he was forced to be there.
Mau’u, wearing a T-shirt depicting a gun and the words “Get money”, repeatedly swore at Gordon and Justice Michele Wilkinson-Smith.
He said, “You c***s brought me here”, “I am not willing to give you nothing” and “get f***ed”.
Justice Wilkinson-Smith told Mau’u he was required to answer the questions and the easiest way to get it over and done with was to co-operate.
Gordon produced text messages that showed Mau’u and Williams conversing in the days leading up to the shooting.
The messages indicated they were both putting tin foil over their ankle bracelets to prevent GPS monitoring to allow them to leave the facility undetected.
Gordon tried to ask Mau’u several times if he recalled texting Williams to say he would cover for him on occasions.
Mau’u repeatedly said it wasn’t true, he didn’t remember or that he was under the influence of methamphetamine. He also said he told police lies to avoid being jailed himself.
On the day of the shooting, the Grace Foundation’s general manager messaged Mau’u to tell him Williams needed to charge the battery on his bracelet.
Gordon asked Mau’u if it was true he told the general manager he had passed on the message to Williams and had spoken to First Security - the company that monitored bracelet breaches.
Mau’u repeatedly said he couldn’t remember and it wasn’t true.
Gordon put to Mau’u that he was covering for Williams and that he hadn’t passed on that message to Williams because Williams wasn’t at the Grace Foundation.
She produced CCTV footage showing Mau’u going to Williams’ room on the morning of March 6, unsuccessfully trying to find him.
Mau’u said he couldn’t recall.
The trial is expected to take five weeks.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.