A prisoner has denied making up a story about a man accused of killing a Palmerston North drug dealer to facilitate his own transfer from Auckland Prison.
The inmate, whose name is suppressed is giving evidence at the High Court trial of Stephen Hudson, who is charged with murdering Nicholas Pike in 2002.
The Crown says Stephen Hudson, 39, killed Nicholas Pike because he owed him money and had informed on him to the police.
In evidence on Wednesday the prisoner told the Court he met Stephen Hudson in prison and that Mr Hudson told him he had killed someone called Nick over a business deal that turned bad.
He said Mr Hudson told him he had kicked Nick's head in, leaving him in a pool of blood, before dumping the body near Te Awamutu.
In cross-examination the witness admitted he had been transferred from Auckland Prison but denied agreeing to testify against Stephen Hudson in return for that.
