The jury in the trial of the man accused of murdering Auckland businesswoman Elizabeth Zhong has heard evidence from her former boyfriend.
Zhong's body was found in the boot of her Land Rover in the east Auckland suburb of Sunnyhills in November 2020.
Her former business partner, Fang Sun, is on trial for her murder after pleading not guilty.
On Monday, Zhong's former boyfriend, Kai Gui Zheng, told the court he met Elizabeth Zhong in February 2019 at a business function, where they talked about their common interest in film, and discovered they came from the same province in China.
He said he and Elizabeth began a relationship around April or May that same year, which lasted until November 2019.
However, he said he lived with her during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown because she was depressed and didn't feel safe in her surroundings.
Zheng said after the lockdown he moved out, and he and Elizabeth saw each other only once or twice.
Later, during cross examination, defence lawyer Sam Wimsett questioned Zhong’s former boyfriend about their relationship.
“Were you and Elizabeth ever actually in a relationship?”
Kai Gui Zheng replied, “Yes we were.”
“Or was it the case that you identified her as someone from whom you could get money,” defence lawyer Sam Wimsett questioned.
“No,” Zheng replied.
Cross examination will continue tomorrow morning.
The Crown last week described the breakdown of Zhong and Sun's business relationship as "embittered" and "hostile".
Zhong met Sun in New Zealand in 2013 and they formed a company called Sunbow. But the Crown, which alleges Sun killed Zhong in her bedroom in the middle of the night, said the relationship soured in 2019.
The trial continues.
