Māngere Bridge death: Witness claims woman stuck to car before falling to ground

Emergency services rushed to a stabbing and death in the carpark of Oji Fibre Solutions in Māngere Bridge. Photo / File

A string of workers at an Auckland packaging factory have described to a jury how a man allegedly left their colleague dripping with blood from stabs wounds before hitting two others – one fatally – with his car, sending them flying into the air.

Oji Fibre Solutions staffer Pierre Hillman said the man sandwiched a woman between his and a parked car at the factory carpark in Māngere Bridge on June 20, 2019. She died at the scene.

“She was completely stuck to the back of the black car until it moved backwards … then she fell to the ground, face down.

“Everyone was screaming …. I froze. Too much screaming,” he said at the High Court in Auckland.

Saofa Niumagumagu is on trial before Justice Mathew Downs. He is facing charges of murder, attempted murder and assault with a weapon.

Crown prosecutor Luke Radich argues Niumagumagu stabbed his ex-wife Puapuaga Matamua in the carpark after she ended their marriage for another man.

Niumagumagu then hit Abdul Riyaz with his car, Riyaz told the jury. He and other colleagues attempted to chase him away after the alleged stabbing.

“We came towards the car and he saw us coming. He drove away and he pulled up into a driveway on same street,” he told the courtroom.

“We started chasing him again … as we got close to the car we saw some rocks and broken pallets on the road and started picking them up and throwing them on to the car, on the driver’s window.

“A truck came over, our delivery truck. He saw what was happening and tried to block the car.”

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But Riyaz said the man hit the truck’s rear tyres with his car and broke free, and started driving towards him and his colleagues.

“He came and hit my left leg and I flew over the car,” he said.

Shortly after, Niumagumagu came speeding back into the factory carpark and hit Kaisala, who did not survive despite CPR attempts by converting supervisor Robert Kearney, the jury heard.

Kearney claims to have seen both Riyaz and Kaisala hit by the car.

“I remember Abdul running quickly … [the car] sent Abdul flying, like what seemed to be a cartwheel. Abdul travelled at least 10 metres down the road.

“I made my way over to see what damage had been done … I was shocked that I watched Abdul get up and walk over to the grass,” Kearney said.

Kearney said he then saw the car speeding back into the Oji Fibre Solutions carpark and hit Kaisala.

“The car sped, hit the person very hard into another vehicle that was parked where she was standing … the person hit the blue car and slid to the ground.”

A witness of the stabbing has also given evidence to the jury.

Oji Fibre Solutions machine operator Kolotau Ahokava said he prays to God because the incident is still on his mind.

“One of the guys had to run in the middle of the man and woman … he tried to hold the man, he can’t hold him so I have to hold him from behind.

“I hold him really strong so he can’t move. The other man said to him: ‘What are you doing?’

“He started to scream: ‘It’s not your wife, it’s my wife. I want to kill her’ … maybe five times.

“I kept saying ‘I know it’s your wife but she doesn’t deserve it … go home’.”

A woman died and another was stabbed at the carpark of Oji Fibre Solutions in Māngere Bridge, the Crown alleges. Photo / Google

Former Oji Fibre Solutions worker and current police officer Nateina Felemi said she saw “blood streaming down” a woman’s face and heard her screaming for help.

She saw a man making a stabbing motion with a weapon as the woman stood hunched over in the carpark.

“Two of my work colleagues got the male off her. I remember him saying ‘I am her husband’ and that’s when my work colleagues got him to leave the premises,” Felemi said.

Matamua suffered stab wounds. She has also given evidence to the jury, claiming she feared for her life that day.

Oji Fibre Solutions worker Sagaia Kaisala died after being hit by Soafa Niumagumagu’s car, the Crown alleges. Photo / Supplied

Matamua and Niumagumagu had separated shortly before the incident and Matamua told the jury she had moved in with her new partner.

Niumagumagu was waiting by her car when she finished work and used a weapon to stab her multiple times as she tried to get into the driver’s seat, Matamua said in her evidence on Monday under cross examination by defence lawyer Sharyn Green.

Two of Niumagumagu’s colleagues earlier told the jury he spoke to them about his marriage meltdown, some even had tearful exchanges at work.

The trial continues.