Jamie Gao trial: Accused Glen McNamara gives evidence at murder trial

FORMER police officer Roger Rogerson allegedly warned his co-accused against going to the cops after they dumped Jamie Gao’s body, a court has heard.

Jamie Gao, 20, faced court on kidnapping and assault charges the week before he was murdered. Suuplied

ROGER Rogerson fired a warning shot at Glen McNamara after dumping Jamie Gao’s body into the sea and told him not to go to police “because I’ll know”, a court has heard.

The shot was fired across the stern of McNamara’s boat after they dropped Mr Gao’s body into the water, a day after McNamara alleges Rogerson killed him in a Padstow storage unit over a drug deal.

Former police officers McNamara, 56, and Rogerson, 76, are both charged over the murder of Mr Gao on May 20, 2014 in what is believed to be a drug deal gone wrong.

McNamara had already told the jury it was Rogerson who killed Mr Gao and threatened him at gunpoint to help dispose of his body.

On their way back to land after dumping Mr Gao’s body, McNamara said he saw Rogerson with a gun in his hand.

“He put two shots across the stern and said, ‘Just in case you go to police I’ll know before they do so think of your f***en family’,” McNamara told the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney on Monday.

He assured him he wouldn’t go to police and asked him “to leave me alone”.

The threat came minutes after Rogerson asked McNamara to help him “give me a hand to push him in”. Mr Gao’s body was then shoved off the boat wrapped in a surfboard cover and blue tarpaulin, as well as rope that Rogerson had wrapped around his waist. Small weights had also been attached.

After the 20-year-old’s body sunk under the water Rogerson is alleged to have said: “Oh f*** I should have cut his guts open ... Oh well f*** he’s gone, let’s go.”

Before the pair left shore McNamara said he tried to convince Rogerson to hire a boat because he didn’t want to use his own.

Rogerson rejected this though and told him: “No more clues and no more credit cards.”

Jamie Gao was allegedly murdered over a drug deal gone wrong.

‘HE’S GOING OUT TO SEA AND NEVER COMING BACK’

Rogerson allegedly told co-accused McNamara that slain student Mr Gao was “going out to sea — he’s never f***en coming back”.

The two former police officers were discussing ways of disposing of Mr Gao’s body after McNamara claimed Rogerson shot him dead the day before in a Padstow storage unit.

In the NSW Supreme Court this morning McNamara said he suggested going to Gray’s Point and “drop him”.

When McNamara asked if they could instead drop him at a beach Rogerson is alleged to have said: “No f*** him, he’s not coming back.”

McNamara also told the court about Mr Gao’s concerns that the criminal gang the Triads had been “chasing him”.

On May 20, McNamara drove the 20-year-old to a Padstow storage shed because that’s where former police officer Roger Rogerson told him to meet.

On the journey there Mr Gao remained lying flat on the back seat and when they got to the storage unit, in Sydney’s south west, he insisted McNamara pull up close to the door. Mr Gao then got out backwards clutching a bag close to his chest.

McNamara is now into his third day in the witness box at his trial for murdering Mr Gao. Also on trial is Rogerson, 75.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder. They also deny a charge of supplying the drug ice.

The day before Mr Gao was killed McNamara said he met with him. Mr Gao told him he was planning to meet with Rogerson the following day.

“I’ve got to met with Roger. All my Triad bulls*** has caught up with me,” he is said to have told McNamara.

Roger Rogerson.

Glen McNamara.

McNamara told him he shouldn’t go to the meeting and asked him to call him in the morning to tell him he was all right. McNamara told him he wasn’t going with him to any meeting.

The next morning — May 20, the day of Mr Gao’s murder — McNamara told the jury he spoke to Rogerson and suggested calling the police to report Mr Gao missing after he had failed to message him.

He claimed he was told by Rogerson that it was “bulls***” he was missing and they shouldn’t call police.

“He said Jamie is full of shit, he’s a liar and rip-off merchant.”

Later that day McNamara got a text from Mr Gao’s phone but McNamara told him he couldn’t see him because he was unwell with food poisoning.

It was a lie because he wanted the contact with Mr Gao to stop because he was scared of the Triad threat, based on what Mr Gao had told him about his fears of being followed and the urgent meeting with Rogerson.

Mr Gao had been increasingly nervous in the days leading up to his death about the threat he believed the Triad gang posed to him.

Later on May 20, McNamara drove Mr Gao to the storage unit and asked if it was possible the Triads “had got” Rogerson.

Mr Gao assured him that wasn’t the case and that Rogerson was in his car following them and would meet them at the storage unit.

Roger Rogerson inside a police truck being taken into Bankstown Court to face charges relating to the murder of Jamie Gao. Picture: Craig Greenhill

ROGERSON WAS ‘SEETHING’

Last week McNamara told the jury he watched Rogerson, who he claimed was “seething in anger”, shoot Mr Gao dead with two bullets to the chest.

He said the killing was the result of a drug deal that went bad inside the Padstow storage unit. “Rogerson just shot him,” he alleged.

“[He] shot him again and forced him even further back in the chair. Gao stopped moving, there was no noise — he just killed him.”

He said Mr Gao pulled a knife on Rogerson as the two men argued over the ice deal before the shots were fired. Rogerson then turned to him and threatened McNamara’s life, and his daughter’s lives.

“(Rogerson) pointed the gun directly towards my head and he said, ‘I’ll do you, get up and help me you weak c*** or you’ll be lying on the floor next to him,’” McNamara said.

McNamara said Rogerson “turned on me” seconds after Mr Gao was killed and he asked him “why, why, why” had he killed him.

“(Rogerson) said, ‘F*** me, he pulled a knife on me. Help me or you’ll be lying on the floor with him and then I’ll kill your girls.’”

McNamara said he was paralysed with fear but told him he “got the message” and would help dispose of Mr Gao’s body.

The case continues.

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Originally published as Jamie Gao trial: Accused Glen McNamara gives evidence at murder trial