A man has appeared in court charged with murder after a woman died in a stabbing on a bus in Auckland on Wednesday.
The woman who died is listed in court documents but her name has not been released by police.
Police have said the two did not know each other.
Bail was not sought for 37-year-old Kael Austin Leona, of Onehunga.
He was remanded in custody until a High Court hearing in November.
In addition to murder, Leona was charged with threatening to kill another woman on the same day.
He was accused of impeding that woman’s breathing by blocking her nose and mouth.
Leona was further charged with entering a building without authority.
His lawyer said those alleged incidents happened after the stabbing.
Leona additionally faces other charges from alleged offences five days earlier.
He is charged with obstructing police and resisting police on October 18.
Kael handed himself into police yesterday, at which point he was put in custody.
The murder charge was announced by police this morning.
Appearing by video link in the Auckland District Court, he swore while waiting for the hearing to proceed.
Police this morning said they would maintain a visible presence at all Auckland transport hubs.
“Places like bus stations and ferry terminals are important spaces for the public, and people should be free to use these areas without fear,” police said.
Police said yesterday that their investigation is still in its infancy and there is a lot of work yet to be done to piece together what happened before the fatal stabbing.
They appealed for further information from anyone who saw the attack on the route 74 bus on Church Street on Wednesday.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has called the stabbing senseless.
