Shocking new details have emerged in the case of a body found in a shallow grave in the central North Island.
Piao Yanlong at the Auckland High Court on 28 July, 2020. Photo: RNZ
Bao Chang Wang - known as Ricky Wang - went missing in 2017 and his body was found buried near Tongariro in March.
After appearing at the High Court in Auckland today, Wang's close friend Piao Yanlong was sent to prison for 14 months for helping to dispose of his body after he was killed, allegedly by two other men who are yet to stand trial.
He had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Defence lawyer Scott McColgan said that in August of 2017, Piao was driven to the site of Wang's killing by one of the accused murderers, who was carrying a gun.
"When he arrived at that address, he walked into a scene that ... was to Mr Piao and, I suggest, would be to each and every one of us, cognitively overwhelming with what he saw and what he found in relation to his - up to that point - friend.
"The purpose of that by the principle offenders was to induce in him passivity and compliance and that is exactly what it achieved."
In the early hours of Tuesday the 22nd, they took vehicles from the west Auckland property and headed to an isolated location off the Desert Road, he said - Piao was driving a van with Wang's body in the back.
They dug a shallow grave and poured concrete over the top, entombing the body for nearly three years, he told the court.
McColgan said that had it not been for Piao coming forward to police, Wang may never have been found.
"There is only one reason that we are here today and that is because of Mr Piao. Simply put, without him, without his unprovoked approach to law enforcement, we would probably not be here.
"Mr Wang's family would not be able to properly inter him and other offenders associated with the actual murder would not be before the courts."
Wang's ex-wife, with whom he had two young children, submitted a statement to the court.
"I cannot imagine that such a brutal person would kill him and the brutal death he endured. I cannot imagine Ricky's bitter plea for help when he was killed.
"Now we have lost a deeply loved person in our lives and we are all suffering from this immense pain."
She described Wang as someone with a happy nature, courage and integrity whose life was full of kindness and love.
"Wang Baochang used to be our guardian and now he has left us. When his children ask of their father I would find it hard to explain to them," she said.
Justice Jagose imposed a significantly reduced sentence as a result of Piao's cooperation with authorities.
He sentenced him to 14 months' imprisonment, which is on top of a four year term he's already serving for drug offending.
"Your offending is aggravated by its inherent callousness in disposing and concealing Mr Wang's body and in a way that amounted to its cruel desecration by entombing it in concrete at an isolated location," the judge said.
Piao, who had an interpreter in court, moved to New Zealand from China to study in 2002 when he was 20-years-old.
He worked as a housing developer and owned a massage parlour.
The court was told his businesses went under after he loaned Wang $350,000, which was not repaid.
"You told the Department of Corrections' pre-sentence report writer you were really good friends with Mr Wang and his family," Justice Jagose said.
"Mr Wang was his parents' only child. His father has kept news of his death from his mother for fear her frail health could not stand the shock as he experienced, suffering a heart attack and weight loss."
Two men have pleaded not guilty to Wang's murder and are due to go on trial next year.
