18 May 2012

Judge set to sum up in million-dollar case against woman

6:11 am on 18 May 2012

Crown and defence lawyers have given closing addresses in the trial of a woman whose partner had millions of dollars mistakenly put into his business account.

Kara Hurring is facing 30 charges of theft and money laundering in the Rotorua District Court.

Crown prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch told the jury the case was about dishonesty and the evidence was clear Ms Hurring knew where the money had come from and knew it wasn't hers.

Ms Hurring's defence lawyer Simon Lance said she doesn't deny seeing lots of zeros in her partner's business account on the night the banking error was discovered but does contest knowing how the money got there.

He said her partner, Hui Gao, was the puppet master and called the shots.

Earlier, the jury was told Ms Hurring did not know $10 million had mistakenly been put into her partner's business account until she saw it on the news.

The Crown has shown a recording of Ms Hurring's interview with a police officer just after she returned to the country to the court.

In it, Ms Hurring said that on the night the banking error was discovered she saw "lots of zeros" on her partner's business account but wasn't sure what it was.

She told the detective she had chosen to come back to New Zealand because she wanted to clear her name.

The judge will sum up on Friday.