Witnesses giving evidence in the trial of two men accused of killing a Radio New Zealand journalist have told a court they were harassed and intimidated by the police.
Nicho Waipuka, 20, and Manuel Robinson, 18, are charged with the murder of Phillip Cottrell in a central Wellington street in December last year.
Mr Cottrell was on his way home just after 5.30am after finishing an overnight shift when he was attacked on 10 December. He suffered severe head injuries and died the following day in hospital after being taken off life support.
Witnesses giving evidence at the High Court in Wellington on Monday included Mr Waipuka's girlfriend Sylvanna Robinson-Stepien and her sister.
Both said they had felt intimidated when giving information to the police earlier this year.
Sylvanna Robinson-Stepien told the court on the day after the attack that Manuel Robinson came to her house and asked her partner what to do with a wallet.
Ms Robinson-Stepien told the court her partner told her he had punched a guy.
She said she was intimidated into providing the information in a second statement to police.
Her sister said parts of a statement she had given to police were not true.
The court is due to hear more forensic evidence from experts on Tuesday.