Fruit picker charged with murder for cutting his friend's leg off with a circular saw during amateur surgery

A man has been charged with murder after allegedly sawing another man's leg off in north-eastern Australia.

A 66-year-old Innisfail man died in the early hours of Saturday morning on Fitzgerald Esplanade at Innisfail after he was discovered by passers-by.

Police believe the man died after his leg was amputated with a circular saw after he paid a fruitpicker friend, John Yalu, 36, thousands of dollars to perform the amateur surgery.

The two men were known to each other, police said.

Police said the men drove to the park together then 20 minutes later, the 36-year-old man allegedly cut the other's leg off under the knee with a circular saw.

The suspect then assisted the injured man back to the car before leaving the area on foot.

A passer-by found the injured man and called the emergency services, but the 66-year-old died shortly afterwards.

Detective Inspector Gary Hunter of Cairns police said it was believed the amputation occurred after a prior arrangement between the two men. 

Police believe the deceased man paid the 36-year-old $5,000 to perform the amputation. 

'Police will allege that at 3.48am (Saturday), the deceased person and another male person arrived at a location on Fitzgerald Esplanade at Innisfail,' Det Insp Hunter he said.

'Both left the vehicle and went to a grassed area not far away and remained at that location for about 20 minutes.

'A male person has then commenced to saw the deceased person’s leg off using a circular saw.

'A short time later, the male person in this matter has assisted the deceased person, who is 66 years of age, return to the vehicle and a short time later has left the area on foot.

'Police will allege that these two people were known to each other.'

The battery-powered saw used in the incident is believed to belong to the deceased man.