A man who killed Tongan teenage drug dealer Siosiua Helotu Ula of Wiri, Auckland has been sentenced to five years and one month imprisonment for manslaughter and other charges.
Wade Edward Niania was also disqualified from driving for three years and six months after his release from prison.
Niania of Titahi Bay, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, kidnapping, disqualified driving, and having methamphetamine intending to supply it, Stuff reported.
Ula, 19, died in hospital two days after an incident in which Niania tried to rip him off when Ula of Wiri, Auckland tried to sell him methamphetamine which might have been worth $40,000 if bought in bulk.
A disagreement ensued after it became clear Niania only had $300 to buy the bulk.
The court was told Ula fell from Niania’s Mercedes on Warspite Ave, Waitangirua, Porirua, just after 4pm on October 7, 2018, after he pulled himself free while he was being grapped by another man in the car.
Niania was a patched Mongrel Mob member and he was already in debt to several criminal gangs, Stuff reported.
Justice Jan-Marie Doogue while sentencing Niania said: “ I accept that you did not intent to kill Mr Ula but you did intent to seize the methamphetamine and kidnapped him in order to do so.
“Your action created the situation where Mr Ula endeavoured to escape from a moving car.
“You deliberately continue to drive and in evidently dangerous manner even after Mr Ula was outside the vehicle holding to it.”
Niania’s lawyer, Mike Antunovic, said “that since Niania had been in custody he had resolved to turn his life around and had done courses already that would help with that and he wanted to do more.”
Photo Kaniva News Caption: Wade Edward Niania