Teen torture trial: Witness tells police of Dimetrius Pairama's final moments

Warning: This story contains graphic and violent content.

A teenager with immunity from prosecution says she saw a 17-year-old tortured and hung at an abandoned state house in South Auckland.

A High Court jury today watched a filmed police interview of the young woman recalling the last moments of Dimetrius Pairama's life.

Prosecutors allege Pairama had been given the chilling choice of how she wanted to die.

Death by hanging or by stabbing.

Crown Solicitor at Manukau Natalie Walker has told the court Pairama was beaten, tied to a chair and gagged.

Her naked body was also burned with an aerosol can and cigarette lighter, Walker said.

Police investigate the home in Māngere where 17-year-old Dimetrius Pairama was found. Photo / Doug Sherring

The now 15-year-old witness, who cannot be named, was given immunity from prosecution by the Deputy Solicitor-General in exchange for testifying about what she saw and heard at the Buckland Rd home in Māngere.

Pairama's body was found by police in a steel drum in the vacant Housing New Zealand property on July 8 last year.

Ashley Winter, also known as Toko Shane Rei Winter, 29, and Kerry Te Amo, 25, are on trial, accused of kidnapping, torturing and murdering her.

Winter, a transgender woman, has pleaded guilty to kidnapping but denies murdering Pairama.

Te Amo has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Kerry Te Amo is one of two people accused of murdering Dimetrius Pairama. Photo / Sam Hurley

The teen witness told police that Pairama, who was also known as Precious, was told to strip naked, was tied to a chair with rope, had her hair cut, before chemicals were poured over her and her body burned.

"I was just talking to Precious and I told her [I] didn't wanna hit her, and Ashley got angry, [she] just came in the room and then pulled [Pairama's] hair and then told me to finish her off," the teen told Detective Constable Frageo (Damon) Petersen.

"After that they told me to go to the living room to keep a look out and 'cos they didn't want me to look at it, so I went to the living room, sat there and I could hear like stomps, could hear banging in the hallway and when they finished killing her, one of them came outside and I opened the door and I saw her hanging."

The teen said Winter was "stomping" on Pairama's head, causing a sound "really loud like her skull breaking".

"They told her to take her clothes off and shaved her hair, burnt her body parts and then had a little meeting."

Ashley Winter, pictured in the dock on day one of her trial in the High Court at Auckland. Photo / Sam Hurley

Pairama, the teen said, was "crying ... she doesn't know how to fight ... she just went with it".

The teen told the detective the group then sat in front of Pairama and "asked her how she wanted to die".

"Then she didn't [answer], so Ashley told her if she doesn't tell us by three o'clock she will stab her.

"Ashley came out and she opened the door wide, I could see Precious hanging."

The immunity witness said Pairama was then wrapped up and taken to the back of the house.

"They were about to burn the house but ... didn't go through with it."

Police first began investigating a possible homicide after breaking up a fight near Britomart in central Auckland.

Walker said the group who were at the house when Pairama died had turned on each other.

The trial continues.