For weeks after the final time Leona Rei-Paku noticed her former girlfriend, she was assured Sarah Gatt was in rehab and so they’d see one another once more quickly.
But Gatt wasn’t in rehab.
She was partially bare, wrapped in energy cords and coated with a hairdryer, a lamp, a stuffed bear and different home goods.
Baker is standing trial for homicide, having pleaded not responsible to killing her someday between April 19 and 23, 2017.
Rei-Paku is the final one that admits seeing Gatt alive, within the early hours of April 19.
The pair had additionally been on-and-off, however Gatt had gone again to Baker out of obligation after he informed her he had bowel most cancers and should not have lengthy to stay.
But she informed jurors on Tuesday that within the early hours of April 19, Gatt started to maneuver issues again into her Maribyrnong residence.
Later that morning Ms Gatt left to return to her home. Rei-Paku did not see her alive once more.
Every fortnight after that, Rei-Paku stated she would purchase a six pack of alcohol and a few medicine and would knock on Gatt’s door.
After three or 4 visits with no reply, she assumed Baker had taken her someplace, so she got down to monitor him down.
Baker informed her Gatt was in rehab, or in a girls’s shelter, and he or she could be out someday round Mother’s Day, she stated.
“He agreed I could come and have a talk to her then, but she’s fine and stuff,” Rei-Paku stated.
Sometime later, Rei-Paku went again to Gatt’s Kensington residence with Baker.
He informed right here “there’s this thing in the bathtub, you’ve got to see it”, she stated.
“He didn’t tell me it was a body until I got there.”
She noticed a skeleton foot and ankle, however stated she did not comprehend it was actual.
Baker admits realizing concerning the physique within the bathtub.
His barrister John Saunders beforehand cautioned jurors towards judging Baker and others for not calling police.
Those individuals didn’t stay a standard life-style, he stated.
Many, if not all, had psychological well being points and battle drug and alcohol abuse, he stated, describing them as individuals who stay “on the outskirts of our society”.
“Andrew Baker did not murder Sarah Gatt. He is not responsible for her death,” he stated.
Saunders stated Rei-Paku could not be dominated out as a suspect, noting that in May 2017 she posed as Gatt at Centrelink to attempt to divert funds to her personal checking account.
Rei-Paku’s proof is predicted to proceed on Wednesday.
Source: www.9news.com.au
