Police cordoned off the area beside a West Auckland badminton centre after responding to the callout where the young woman was found dead earlier this week. Photo: RNZ / Mohammad Alafeshat
Emotions erupted at a West Auckland court room today as the family of a woman, who was found dead on Monday, screamed at the man accused of her murder.
A 30-year-old man appeared in Waitākere District court this afternoon, charged with the murder of 21-year-old Farzana Yaqubi.
On 19 December, Yaqubi was found dead outside the Badminton Centre on Royal Road in the suburb of Massey.
Police launched a homicide investigation and the 30-year-old man, who has interim name suppression, was arrested yesterday.
In court today, family members of Yaqubi wailed as the man was taken back into custody.
They screamed at him, calling him "coward" and "bastard" as he was taken away by guards.
One woman needed to be supported as she left the court room, while others cried and held each other.
The man will appear in Auckland's High Court in February.