‘Lie low’: Court bungle in Zane Meyer murder case
A key witness in an upcoming murder trial cannot be found to give evidence after a jaw-dropping bungle from the justice system.
Police have been unable to find a key witness in an upcoming murder trial, after the justice system accidentally let his brother know they were looking for him.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday heard “important witness” Mohi Tamati could not be found despite a warrant for his arrest being issued.
Mr Tamati is wanted to give evidence in the trial of Nicole Anthea Anderson, Jaryd Kemp and Trent Pearson, each facing one murder charge over the death of Zane Meyer.
Mr Tamati was ordered in his absence to give evidence in a sitting of the magistrates court on December 3.
It was made as part of a block listing with multiple criminal matters heard by one magistrate, the court heard.
One of the other matters on the day was for Mr Tamati’s brother, Jahdon Tamati, who was connected to the court via videolink from prison for an unrelated reason.
He listened silently to the order being made and then got the word out that police were looking for his brother, Detective Senior Constable Brett Thexton told the court on Thursday.
Jahdon contacted a third Tamati brother from prison telling him to warn Mohi, Detective Thexton said.
Mohi should “keep out of police presence, to go and burn his telephone, and not to pop up”, the court heard Jahdon said.
The call, like all calls from prison, was recorded.
The court heard there was no evidence the third Tamati brother had actually contacted Mohi with the warning.
Detective Thexton said the last address Mohi Tamati had given police turned out to be an Airbnb.
Magistrate Donna Bakos on Thursday rejected an application from the prosecution for the case to be delayed while police searched for Mohi Tamati.
She said Jahdon Tamati had told the wanted witness to “lie low, or words to that effect”, and said there were “no clues” as to his whereabouts.
“No one knows where the witness is, so therefore, there is no realistic opportunity for the witness to be located, arrested and brought to court,” she said.
The three murder accused have already been behind bars for six months without trial, the court heard.
Zane Meyer’s body was found in a paddock in Lysterfield in Melbourne’s southeast on June 17 this year.
Ms Anderson, Mr Kemp and Mr Pearson on Thursday each pleaded not guilty to his murder.
They will next appear in the Supreme Court on January 13.