29-year-old in court charged with manslaughter in Courtenay Place

Report from RNZ
The man charged with manslaughter after the death of a man on Courtenay Place can now be named.

Siale Siale, 29, appeared in the Wellington District Court this morning after the death of Luke Smith two weeks ago.

Smith, 21, was rushed to hospital in the early hours of 6 October and died when his life support was removed.

Supporters of Luke Smith gathered outside the court.

Police said at the time the assault happened about 3.15am outside the old Reading Cinema building.

Siale has been released on bail, with conditions limiting his travel. He will next appear in the High Court in Wellington in November.

Smith and his parents had emigrated to New Zealand from South Africa earlier this year and settled in Upper Hutt, police said. By last week $22,000 had been raised to help pay for the return of his body to South Africa.

Police launch homicide inquiry after man’s death in Courtenay Place