The jury has watched a police interview with a man accused of the manslaughter of a 21-year-old who innocently drank a beer that contained methamphetamine.
Himatjit Kahlon is on trial before a jury in the Auckland High Court.
He gave Honey Bear Beers to Aiden Sagala for being a “good worker” at Fonterra — where Kahlon was a team leader and Sagala had been working prior to his death in March 2023.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Bunce arrested Kahlon on March 28 and interviewed him.
In the interview shown to the court, Kahlon says a friend — who cannot be named but has already pleaded guilty to drugs charges — “fooled” him.
“I didn’t know this was meth, seriously,” he told Bunce.
A court has been shown video of police carrying out a “squeeze test” on cans of Honey Bear beer, with those found to be soft de-pressurised and likely containing meth. (Source: Supplied)
The pair would drink at a Manukau warehouse which was raided in Operation Lavendar where 700kg of methamphemine was found. He said he believed that his friend was making “solutions”.
Bunce told Kahlon empty beer cans that contained crystals on the top were found at the scene.
“Your fingerprints were found on two of those beer cans… two of the cans that had been poured out had been used to make methamphetamine,” the officer said.
The court has heard there was about 700kg of meth in the property. (Source: 1News)
“I trusted him blindly,” Kahlon said of his friend, “because he belongs to a good family.”
Kahlon was then asked if he did anything else at the warehouse, he replied that he used to go into the friend’s room.
“Your fingerprints got found on a grey bucket as well.
“Look at the crystals all over that bucket and that bucket’s got your fingerprints… you just told me you did nothing. So why are your fingerprints on that bucket?”
Himatjit “Jimmy” Kahlon is charged with the manslaughter of Aiden Sagala who died in March 2023. (Source: 1News)
The officer also pressed Kahlon on the state of the warehouse, which had crystals all over the floor.
“I am so shocked in these types of things, meth and all that.”
The trial continues.