The 25-year-old defendant appeared in the High Court at Dunedin this morning accused of the murder of 36-year-old Aneli Helu Katea whose body was discovered at a Great King St property on October 10.
At his first appearance, mental-health reports were directed but Justice Rachel Dunningham said they had not yet been completed, and assessors had requested up to 10 weeks to deliver their findings.
The judge said that delay was too lengthy and said she would “insist” on the reports being available before the defendant’s next court date in December.
The defendant, who appeared by video link and waved enthusiastically to the court when he was beamed in, was granted continued name suppression.
Mr Katea was described by a former flatmate as “a lovely guy” and said the victim was, for the most part, an ideal person with whom to live.
“We'd all be at work and would come home and the house was spotless. He's got his music blasting,” she said.
The ex-flatmate told the Otago Daily Times Mr Katea liked a drink but was “still a nice, calm guy” when using alcohol.
The defendant did not apply for bail.
