The trial of the man accused of murdering east Auckland businesswoman Elizabeth (Ying) Zhong is under way.
It’s being held at the Auckland High Court in front of Justice Neil Campbell and began yesterday.
Twelve jurors were sworn in on Tuesday morning.
Police allege Zhong, 55, was murdered by her former business partner Fang Sun.
Sun has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Crown case is being led by prosecutors Gareth Kayes and Sam Becroft.
Sun is represented by defence lawyer Sam Wimsett.
Zhong’s body was found in the boot of her Land Rover vehicle parked not far from her Sunnyhills home on November 28, 2020.
The last confirmed sighting of the businesswoman was at about 4.30pm the previous day.
On February 12 last year Counties Manukau Police publicly announced the arrest of a man in relation to Zhong’s death.
That man, now identified as Sun, appeared in the Manukau District Court the same day and was remanded in custody.
He pleaded not guilty to Zhong’s murder during an appearance in the Auckland High Court in March last year and was granted name suppression, which has since been discontinued.
A court charging document previously seen by the Times states police believe Sun killed Zhong in Sunnyhills between November 27 and November 28, 2020.
His occupation was not stated on the document.
Police have described Zhong’s family as being “devastated” by her death.
She was the director of the company Digital Post Limited, based in Epsom, central Auckland.
The trial is expected to take about six weeks.
