The Press
May 9 2008
Gwaze interview played
by Dean Calcott
A Christchurch man
accused of murdering and sexually violating his adopted daughter said he
"had nothing to do" with her injuries.
The High Court in Christchurch
heard yesterday that George Evans Gwaze was interviewed by police after
Christchurch Hospital staff became suspicious about injuries suffered by
Charlene Makaza, 10.
Charlene was taken
to hospital on January 6 last year and died the next day.
Gwaze, 56, denies
a charge of murder and two counts of sexual violation.
In a video
interview with Detective Paul Johannsen, before
Charlene had died, Gwaze said he was at a loss to explain what had happened to
the girl and denied having anything to do with her condition.
"No. I can
put a cross to my forehead and believe in God. No, not me," Gwaze said.
Johannsen told Gwaze that
doctors said the injuries must have occurred within the 24 hours before
Charlene arrived at hospital, at a time when she was either in the company of
family members or at home in bed.
Gwaze replied he
could not imagine how it could have happened.
He said Charlene
was a "darling to all in the house", and it could only have been an
outsider who caused the injuries.
"I had
nothing to do with this at all," he said.
He said the house
was normally locked up, but one of the upstairs windows was open that night.
After Charlene
died, about 1am on January 7, Gwaze provided a DNA sample and underwent a
police medical examination.
Further video interviews
with Gwaze will be played to the court today