21st October 2024 Iain McGregor/The Press Tingjun Cao in Christchurch High Court facing trial for the murder of Yanfei Bao. Photo: Iain McGregor
The start of a High Court trial of the man charged with murdering Christchurch real estate agent Yanfei Bao has been delayed this morning due to translation issues.
53-year-old Tingjun Cao, a Chinese national, was charged with the murder of Yanfei Bao on 19 July 2023, the day she went missing.
He had pleaded not guilty.
Bao went missing in July last year and her body was found in farmland near Christchurch just over a year later.
Tingjun Cao does not speak English, and a Mandarin translator was assisting him during the trial.
The trial was due to get underway at 10am Tuesday, with the first witnesses due to speak to the court.
Justice Lisa Preston said that the logistics of translating and relaying yesterday's opening addresses, and the Judge's opening remarks, had not yet been able to be completed.
She said the trial would restart at 12pm.
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