A Brisbane financial planner who bashed his top client to death with a hammer was mentally ill at the time but knew right from wrong, a court has heard.

October 17, 2018

A Brisbane financial planner knew right from wrong when he killed his best client, hid the spiritual guru’s body and went to collect his wife from work and their daughter from a babysitter, his murder trial has been told.

Prosecution psychiatrist Darren Neillie testified on Wednesday that while Trung The Ma, 35, was mentally abnormal when he fatally bashed Huegio Bonham with a hammer during a business dispute, he was also capable of understanding right from wrong.

Ma is on trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court accused of murdering the 63-year-old during an argument following the financial planner’s alleged theft of $706,000 from Mr Bonham to fund his lifestyle.

Ma has admitted killing his former client and hiding his body in Indooroopilly storage after their business relationship soured, but denies murdering Mr Bonham and is fighting the murder charge on mental health grounds.

Dr Neillie rejected a defence psychiatrist’s earlier diagnosis that Ma was suffering narcissistic personality disorder.

Ma, who arrived in Australia aged three after fleeing Vietnam on a boat with his family, displayed some narcissistic traits, Dr Neillie said.

But it was more likely Ma was suffering a mild adjustment disorder, he said.

However, the argument with Mr Bonham, coupled with Ma’s disorder, ongoing anxiety and the pressure he believed was heaped upon him by his family to succeed, triggered an emotional and violent response.

Ma told Dr Neillie during three pre-trial assessments that Mr Bonham had demanded access to his financial clients and his family during their fatal meeting in February 2014 so he could spruik his spiritual counselling business.

“Mr Ma described a feeling build of frustration and anger, stating ‘it was like talking to my dad, the back and forth, the repetition,’” he told the court.

“He (also) said the idea of his family being exposed to Mr Bonham’s beliefs led to a further escalation in his emotional state …. he recalled feeling enraged … the mention of his family led to him feeling threatened at an emotional level.”

The trial continues.