Coskun Jaques Marius jailed for life over murdering Tane Tahi Manawa on the Gold Coast
The mother of a man fatally struck with a pole while he lay asleep has faced her son’s killer in court.
The mother of a man who was killed after being brutally struck with a pole while he lay asleep in his Gold Coast home has forgiven her son’s killer, a court has been told.
A jury found Coskun Jaques Marius, 30, guilty of murdering Tane Tahi Manawa, 38, in his home on Markwell Ave at Surfers Paradise in 2019.
Mr Manawa, also known as Dre Nova, was repeatedly hit over the head with a metal bar from a home gym in the garage while he slept inside his home.
The court was told Marius had attacked Mr Manawa after he had felt slighted over a comment made by the older man about how he enjoyed his lunch.
Crown Prosecutor Michael Lehane said Marius was hungry and became angry Mr Manawa hadn’t shared his meal with him.
“The reasons for this vicious attack were quite minor, a belief on the mistreatment of the victim towards him,” Mr Lehane said.
“At the end of the day, the victim had just enjoyed a meal and the defendant was hungry.
“The reasons for this crime are quite trivial.”
Mr Lehane said Marius’ actions were “brutal and cowardly”.
“(Mr Manawa) was asleep, completely vulnerable and defenceless,” he said.
The court heard shortly after Mr Manawa died, Marius sold his possessions for drugs and slandered the deceased’s reputation by calling him an alleged rapist.
Marius’ defence barrister, Lars Falcongreen, said while his client was suffering from a psychotic illness at the time which could have impaired his judgement, his client understood the pain he’s caused to Mr Manawa’s family.
“He understands his actions have caused hurt,” Mr Falcongreen said.
“He doesn’t dare ask for forgiveness in the circumstances.”
But in an extraordinary moment in court on Friday, Mr Manawa’s mother, Jackie Kaui, said she forgave her son’s killer.
“To you, the one now found guilty of the murder of my son, … I forgave you then and now I tell you to your face that I forgive you” Ms Kaui said while reading her victim impact statement in court.
“There has been enough pain and anguish for you too, it’ll be okay. This is the way.”
Ms Kaui said her son had an infectious laugh and a “beautiful soul” that will be forever missed by his family.
“He was passionate about helping others finding themselves,” she said.
“Yes he loved food, he loved to cook and loved to laugh and have fun and was an extraordinary free strong spirit.”
Marius was sentenced to life in prison on Friday.
He was also sentenced for two separate offences prior to the murder, including a grievous bodily harm charge relating to a woman who overdosed after he injected her twice at her request with methamphetamine and the armed robbery of a Domino's Pizza worker.
The court heard the woman suffered serious injuries leaving her a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair.
Marius will be eligible for parole in May 2040.
In his sentencing remarks on Friday in the Brisbane Supreme Court, Justice Glenn Martin said he was satisfied Marius did pick up the bar in the garage with the intent to at least cause grievous bodily harm towards Mr Manawa.
“The assault upon a sleeping Mr Manawa was cowardly, it was brutal, it was unflinching, it was demonstrative of a callous disregard and could not on any view of any of the circumstances have been generated by anything that had been done to you,” Justice Martin said.
“During the trial it was advanced through various means that you had been poorly treated, there was some evidence to support that but I do not regard it to have any particular influence.
“It seems that the catalyst for what you did was your view of what he did and his treatment to you, together with you being very hungry.”
Justice Martin said the jury had been told Marius had not had methamphetamine for five days prior to the murder and had not eaten for some time.
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