News | National
26 Jan 2026 8:25
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > National

    The star witness at a Dunedin murder trial has back-tracked on evidence he gave yesterday

    The star witness at a Dunedin murder trial has back-tracked on evidence he gave yesterday


    Venod Skantha is on trial in the High Court - charged with murdering 16-year-old Amber-Rose Rush.

    But defence lawyer Jonathan Eaton QC suggests the Crown's young witness is actually the one who killed her.

    Yesterday, the teen told the court he was roped into driving Skantha to Amber-Rose's home the night she died - and explicitly remembered cleaning the bloody knife afterwards.

    Now he says he can't remember whether he or Skantha cleaned it.

    © 2026 Newstalk ZB, NZCity

     Other National News
     26 Jan: A Christchurch company director will be sentenced in May - after pleading guilty to gambling offences linked to New Zealand's largest-ever illegal lottery
     26 Jan: A man's appearing in court - after a kidnapping incident in Blenheim over the weekend
     26 Jan: Prime Minister Chris Luxon joined the Mount Maunganui community last night, paying tribute to those presumed dead in Thursday's slip
     26 Jan: The New Zealand women's hockey team have lost 2-1 to the United States in the final of their international tournament in Dunedin - after also losing to them earlier in the week
     26 Jan: A determination from emergency services to continue the recovery at Mount Maunganui as soon as possible
     25 Jan: Snell street in Waikato's Morrinsville, is closed following an earlier crash
     25 Jan: The Wellington Phoenix women have rocketed from 9th to second on the congested A-League ladder...after beating Adelaide United 3-1 at home in Porirua
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The New Zealand women's hockey team have lost 2-1 to the United States in the final of their international tournament in Dunedin - after also losing to them earlier in the week More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    US copied Iran's Shahed drones — now they are deployed in the Middle East More...



     Today's News

    Cricket:
    India have humbled New Zealand at Guwahati by eight wickets, taking an unassailable 3-nil lead in the five-match T20 series 8:07

    International:
    Could you be working on unrealistic life goals? 7:57

    Politics:
    A Christchurch company director will be sentenced in May - after pleading guilty to gambling offences linked to New Zealand's largest-ever illegal lottery 7:57

    Law and Order:
    A man's appearing in court - after a kidnapping incident in Blenheim over the weekend 7:37

    Motorsports:
    Hayden Paddon has finished sixth in his class and 11th overall at Monte Carlo, the opening event of the World Rally Championship 7:37

    Politics:
    Concerns the Government is putting child safety at risk, by letting Gloriavale's school remain open 7:27

    Politics:
    Gloriavale will stay open while the process for shutting it down goes through the courts, but questions remain over what happens to the kids if it's closed for good 7:27

    Living & Travel:
    Prime Minister Chris Luxon joined the Mount Maunganui community last night, paying tribute to those presumed dead in Thursday's slip 6:27

    Hockey:
    The New Zealand women's hockey team have lost 2-1 to the United States in the final of their international tournament in Dunedin - after also losing to them earlier in the week 4:47

    Accident and Emergency:
    A determination from emergency services to continue the recovery at Mount Maunganui as soon as possible 4:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd