A Mongrel Mob president on trial for murder has had his credibility questioned by both Crown and defence lawyers.
Wednesday was the second day Jeremiah Sua spent in the witness box in the High Court at Palmerston North facing questions about the death of Codi Wilkinson.
Wilkinson was found dead in Bunnythorpe in September 2019, two weeks after he was last seen by friends and family.
The Crown said Jeremiah Sua, his brother Mariota, Dean Arthur Jennings, Quentin Joseph Moananui and Jason David Signal murdered Wilkinson in September 2019.
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They deny the murder, kidnapping Wilkinson and his friend Kyle Rowe, wounding Rowe with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and participating in an organised criminal group.
The Crown said Jeremiah Sua, the president of the Manawat chapter of the Aotearoa Mongrel Mob, ordered Wilkinson and Rowe to be depatched after they robbed a man, who senior police have told the trial was a drug dealer.
Jeremiah Sua spent Tuesday and Wednesday denying the accusations, saying he did depatchings personally in a non-violent manner.
He said he had no authority to depatch Wilkinson as he did not give him a patch.
Police at the Bunnythorpe property where Codi Wilkinson’s body was found in September 2019.
He added that he had never seen Wilkinson wearing a gang patch, did not believe Wilkinson was ever a fully patched Mobster and was told by Wilkinson in July 2019 he had left the gang.
That was despite the fact Wilkinson had Mongrel Mob tattooed across his face and was photographed wearing an Aotearoa Mongrel Mob patch.
Crown prosecutor Deborah Davies also showed Jeremiah Sua photos police took of a patch Wilkinson had in August 2019.
He had the facial tattoo by then, which had a diamond between the words Mongrel and Mob.
Jeremiah Sua earlier told the trial the diamond was a feature of the Manawat chapter of Aotearoa Mongrel Mob, but on Wednesday said he could not explain Wilkinsons tattoo.
He also came under pressure from questions by Jennings lawyer Robert Lithgow, QC.
Lithgow questioned the reality of many of Jeremiah Sua statements, including wanting to take the Manawat Mob chapter to rural Whanganui to cut scrub, the origin of the diamond in Wilkinsons tattoo and not knowing if the drug dealer was robbed.
Jeremiah Sua was also question about Wilkinson and Rowe being attacked at 107 Mulgrave St, Ashhurst, while he lived at 105 Mulgrave St.
He said he heard nothing and saw nothing, but would have reacted if he did.
If I was there my first aid training would have kicked in.
Lithgow responded: Are you for reals (sic)?
Jeremiah Sua said people like Lithgow made him out to be a violent thug by stereotyping him.
Lithgow said that was because something violent and thuggish happened at the end of the driveway next to your place.
The trial continues on Thursday with Davies questioning Jeremiah Sua further.
Mongrel Mob president accused of murder put under pressure by both sides about his take on events.
