Circular saw amputation: Man allegedly paid banana picker to carry out procedure he subsequently died from

A North Queensland man who died after allegedly having his leg amputated by a circular saw paid thousands of dollars to a banana picker, who has since been charged with murder, to carry out the procedure in a park, police will allege.

Police will allege a North Queensland man paid thousands of dollars to have his leg amputated by a banana picker with a circular saw at a park on the waterfront at Innisfail.

John Yalu, 36, had his matter mentioned before the Innisfail Magistrates Court on Monday, a day after he was charged with murder after he allegedly amputated the lower leg of a 66-year-old man during the early hours of Saturday morning.

The man died after being found by passers-by having allegedly been abandoned by his amateur surgeon.

Detective Inspector Gary Hunter on Sunday said the amputation had been done by prior arrangement between the two men.

An Innisfail man has been charged with murder after allegedly cutting another man’s leg off with a circular saw in the early hours of Saturday morning. Picture: Arun Singh Mann

“Police will allege that at 3.48am (Saturday), the deceased person and another male person arrived at a location on Fitzgerald Esplanade at Innisfail,” he said.

“Both the people left the vehicle and went to a grassed area not far away and remained at that location for about 20 minutes.

“A male person has then commenced to saw the deceased person’s leg off using a circular saw.

“A short time later, the male person, (the alleged offender) in this matter, has assisted the deceased person, who is 66 years of age, return to the vehicle and a short time later has left the area on foot.

“Police will allege that these two people were known to each other. The extent of that relationship is still forming part of our investigation.”

It is understood police will allege the man paid $5000 to have Mr Yalu cut off his lower leg.

Detective Acting Inspector Gary Hunter provided an update on Saturday after a 66-year-old Innisfail man was found dead. Picture: Arun Singh Man

The older man owned the battery-operated power saw that Mr Yalu is alleged to have used.

Police recovered the man’s leg from the scene.

Det Insp Hunter said the man was left bleeding in the car and had managed to get out and make his way to the footpath, where he was found by passers by.

Those people called an ambulance but the man died before it arrived.

“We are unable to establish the motive behind the removal of the leg but we can say it was an arrangement between the two people and the extent of those particular details and also the extent of their relationship is still forming part of our inquiries,” he said.

“Police have confirmed that the saw belonged to the deceased male.”

Yalu did not appear in court on Monday, but he was represented by duty solicitor Kellie Walker who asked Magistrate Megan Power for a date to be set for a police brief handover and an adjournment.

Magistrate Power asked the brief be delivered by May 16, and adjourned the matter to June 6 for another mention.

She ordered Yalu be remanded in custody, although no application for bail was made.