Category: Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The man who murdered five people by lighting the Loafers Lodge blaze will be sentenced in the High Court in Wellington on Friday.

The 50-year-old, Esarona David Lologa, set the Wellington boarding house alight in May 2023.

Michael Wahrlich, Melvin Parun, Peter O’Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings were killed.

In September he was found guilty of five counts of murder and one count of arson.

He had been on trial at the High Court in Wellington for five weeks.

His defence argued he was insane when he lit the fire.

The Crown called around 100 witnesses over its four weeks of evidence.

They included Loafers Lodge residents who described their harrowing escapes from the blaze, firefighters who fought tears recounting their experiences, and crucially, five mental health professionals who believed Lologa was not insane when he lit the fire.

The experts said Lologa did know his actions were morally wrong.

They pointed to Lologa’s own comments to police and psychiatrists, including that he had “done nothing wrong”, as evidence he understood the difference between right and wrong.

During the trial psychiatrist Dr Krishna Pillai, testifying for the defence, believed the man was insane when he lit the fire, and was experiencing a serious psychotic relapse.

Pillai told the court the man’s hallucinations – hearing voices telling him to light the fire – rendered him incapable of knowing lighting the fire was morally wrong, which is a threshold required for an insanity defence.

Esarona Lologa – also known as Esa – was born in Wellington in 1975, but was raised by his grandmother and uncle in a small village near Apia, Samoa.

He was initially educated in Samoa but moved to Wellington when he was about 13, where he lived with his uncle. He attended high school in Lower Hutt.

As a young man, Lologa had a relationship with a woman almost 20 years his senior, who had a teenage son.

In 2009 Lologa was convicted of attempting to murder the son with a machete, after he believed his partner was cheating on him.

Lologa had 50 previous convictions – including the attempted murder and an attempted arson in 1996, after he broke into a butcher and tried to burn it down.

He had also been found guilty of common assault and fraud.

He first came to the attention of mental health services in 1999, when he was 24. He was hearing voices in his head that were swearing at him.

Lologa was diagnosed as having schizophrenia, and was first admitted to a mental health facility in 2000.

The court heard details about Lologa’s clinical history spanning more than two decades, including nine hospital admissions.

During adulthood, Lologa lived in Wellington and Auckland. He stayed in social housing and boarding houses, as well as his car and the street, psychiatrists told the court.

Lologa absconded from a mental health facility on 21 April, 2023, three weeks before the fires, and there was a warrant out for his arrest.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A coroner has criticised a disability service for not urgently addressing a mother’s safety fears for her autistic, non-verbal son who was later found dead in a pond at his home in rural Gisborne.

Five-year-old Khyzah Tawhai Raukaponga DeLaCroix went missing from his home at Mangawehi Station in the Hangaroa district of Gisborne on 11 August last year.

It sparked a huge search involving hundreds of local people, specialist search teams, rescue dogs, and a helicopter.

Coroner Meenal Duggal found that Khyzah’s death was accidental, and that he died on 11 August by drowning in a large pond about 180 metres from his house.

She said a meeting Khyzah’s mother had with disability service Your Way Kia Roha, in which she asked for safety locks on windows and doors, should have sparked immediate action.

The search

Khyzah had been diagnosed with autism before his death, and was non-verbal. He had developmental delays and did not have a “typical sense” of danger, safety or pain, Coroner Duggal said.

He had been referred to Your Way Kia Roha by his paediatrician, a service which was contracted by the Ministry of Social Development’s Disability Support Services.

“Khyzah liked to leave the house to explore and was particularly attracted to water as well as a shed where he liked to play among items stored there. On several previous occasions, he had made his way to the main road,” Coroner Duggal said.

He had been home watching a movie at 2.00 pm in the afternoon when his mother was showering and she heard the door out from the laundry opening. His mother left shortly after Khyzah, estimating she was about one minute behind him.

Police were called at 4.00 pm and a Land Search and Rescue operation started about 5.30 pm. By this time, Khyzah’s father and his employer had searched a 400 metre radius of the house including the water holes, Coroner Duggal’s report said.

The search continued into the night, and resumed again the next morning – the national dive squad found Khyzah’s body in the pond covered in green algae about 3.40 pm.

Coroner Duggal’s report said there were several routes from the house to the pond which were “easily accessible” for a 5-year-old who was good at climbing.

‘Mother’s safety concerns required urgent action’ – coroner

Coroner Duggal said Khyzah’s mother had met with Your Way Kia Roha in June and expressed concerns about his safety, saying that he could run off, and asking for locks on windows and doors.

Khyzah’s mother was told to speak to a neurodevelopmental therapist to ask for a safety assessment for the home.

“It is concerning that Ms DeLaCroix’s concerns about Khyzah’s ability to get out of the house were not proactively addressed.

“This raised immediate safety concerns which in my view required urgent action.”

She said it was a “reccurring” theme from families with health and disability issues that services were not joined up, and they often needed to repeat concerns to multiple agencies or providers.

While the coroner accepted the disability service was not directly able to provide safety assessments, it was part of Your Way Kia Roha’s agreement with the Ministry of Social Development that “immediate safety concerns were to be proactively addressed with urgency”.

She said given Khyzah’s mother lived rurally, and she was trying to look after a child needing full-time daily help, as well as two other small children, any safety concerns she raised should have been “actively addressed”.

In her report, Coroner Duggal said Your Way Kia Roha accepted the response to safety concerns was not sufficiently prompt, but said it was not due to systemic issues or a lack of training.

It said it had taken measures to strengthen compliance including drafting a formal risk matrix for urgent actions, and undertaking enhanced training.

Coroner Duggal said she endorsed the steps Your Way Kia Roha had taken.

In a statement, chief executive of Your Way Kia Roha, Megan Thomas, said the loss of a child was an unimaginable tragedy, and their thoughts and condolences were with Khyzah’s whānau.

Thomas said the Coroner’s findings acknowledged the organisation’s position that it had robust systems and processes in place to identify and respond to risks, and had endorsed, as part of the recommendations, steps taken to strengthen safeguards and training.

“However, in this circumstance, we recognise that a more proactive approach – particularly involving Child Development Services to assess the home environment – could have provided additional support.

“We remain committed to learning from this experience and to continually improving our processes, so that families receive the most responsive and coordinated care possible,” Thomas said.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A former teacher at Gloriavale School has applauded the Education Ministry for effectively closing the school, but says it has been a frustratingly slow process.

The Secretary for Education has cancelled the school’s registration, effective from 23 January.

Ellen MacGregor-Reid wrote to the West Coast Christian community’s private school in October, advising that she was considering the move after a second failed Education Review Office (ERO) audit in as many years.

July’s ERO report found Gloriavale Christian School had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and emotionally safe space for students.

Hopeful Disciple, who left Gloriavale four years ago, said cancelling the registration of a private school was fairly unprecedented.

“But there’s just been so much evidence,” he said. “That they’ve taken so long to act on that, it has been a bit frustratingly slow.”

Disciple said everything in the school was governed by or part of the community.

“Teachers are teaching their own children, their nieces, nephews [and] other teachers are also leaders in the community.

“It’s all interlocking, and so it sets up a really enmeshed situation, which it becomes impossible for the teachers to actually be professionals,” he said.

Spokesperson for the Gloriavale Leavers’ Trust Liz Gregory said it had raised a number of concerns with the ministry about the school over the last six years, from sexual misconduct to education being used as indoctrination.

“Six years is a long time when you’re concerned about children’s safety and children’s educational provision,” she said.

She said they had been less than patient at times.

“I think it’s been difficult with the harm levels that have occurred inside the community for us to sit back and wait for a courageous government department, but I want to thank them for the courage they’ve shown.”

MacGregor-Reid said the Ministry of Education had provided considerable support to the board and staff of Gloriavale Christian School over the last two years.

“Despite two notices to comply and ministry and external support, the school has been unable to demonstrate full compliance and there is insufficient evidence of progress,” she said.

“I remain concerned that these students are not being educated within an emotionally and physically safe school environment. After a period of engagement with the school and community, and consideration of the evidence, I have decided that cancellation of the school’s registration is necessary.

“We are absolutely committed to the education of Gloriavale students. Support will be provided for students and families during the transition so that education is in place for term 1 2026.”

The school board said it would challenge the decision.

“We believe this decision is unjust and does not reflect the significant efforts we have made to address concerns raised. The position taken by the ministry is not accepted and will be challenged.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A homicide investigation has been launched in Hamilton.

Police were called to a house in Lake Crescent at around 6:15pm, where they found a seriously injured man, who died at the scene.

A second person has been taken to Waikato Hospital with an arm injury.

Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Ambler says cordons are in place and residents can expect to see extra police in the area.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

More than $1 million in assets including property, luxury cars and thousands of banned vapes have been seized in raids in Wellington and Auckland.

Police have been investigating the proceeds of a criminal’s drug-selling activities across the North Island and have executed search warrants in Upper Hutt, Wellington, Tawa, Pauatahanui and Auckland.

Detective senior sergeant Karen Heald said the large number of vapes containing the banned substance etomidate was particularly concerning.

The drug can cause involuntary muscle jerking, breathing difficulties and loss of consciousness.

“It goes without saying that drugs cause so much harm in our community – not only to those who become addicted, but to the families of those people who get hooked, and the people who then become victims of the crimes they commit to feed their habit,” Heald said.

Other assets seized include two Ferrari convertible sports cars, five motorcycles including a Harley Davidson, two Victory motorbikes and a quad bike and residential property.

“It’s remarkable to think of the harm the offenders impose on our communities and the luxuries they are then affording themselves in the process,” Heald said.

A Mongrel Mob member and four associates have been charged with multiple offences and police said further arrests were likely.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The Waihī North extension of OceanaGold’s Waihī mine has gained approval under fast-track legislation.

The decision was jointly announced by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Resources Minister Shane Jones, and aimed to extend gold and silver mining in the area until 2043.

Jones estimated approval would have taken more than five years under the usual consenting process.

It became the first major mining project to gain full approvals and consents under last year’s Fast-track Approvals Act, in a process that was completed in 112 working days.

The project is expected to generate $5.2 billion in additional silver and gold exports over its 18-year life – around $286 million per year.

“The Waihī North Project will support around 800 jobs in Hauraki District and beyond over its 18-year life, and these well-paid jobs will inject millions into the regional economy while boosting export earnings for the country,” Jones said.

Bishop said an expert panel estimated the extension would generate $425 million in government revenues in 2025 dollar terms.

Oceana Gold Senior Vice President Alison Paul expected OceanaGold to invest around $1 billion in the project with $240 million invested in the Hauraki District.

“Once producing, the Wharekirauponga Underground mine will generate over NZ$8 billion of export revenue for New Zealand (estimated at current gold prices).”

The Waihī North Project included the Wharekirauponga underground mine located approximately 10 kilometres north of OceanaGold’s current Waihī Operation.

Canadian-headquarted OceanaGold bought the Waihī mine from US company Newmont Mining in 2015 in a deal valued at over US$100 million.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Nearly two months on from a sewage spill that completely destroyed their crops, Mahurangi oyster farmers are still waiting to see a full compensation package.

More than a thousand cubic metres of sewage overflowed from a Watercare pump station in late October contaminating thousands of oysters in the Mahurangi river and preventing the farmers from harvesting for nearly a month.

Watercare agreed to give a million dollars in compensation to 10 affected farmers, who split it between them.

The organisation also promised to provide a second payment before the end of the year.

But as that date creeps closer the farmers are still waiting and getting increasingly desperate.

It has been around two weeks since Tom Waters was able to reopen Matakana Oysters.

It means he has only been able to farm for around six weeks of this year.

With little time to harvest, his bills and debts have quickly built up, and the $100,000 in compensation he got for October’s sewage spill was gone in 48 hours.

He has already considered closing the doors on his business twice this year, and if Waters does not see more compensation soon, he is not sure how he will carry on.

“This year’s been diabolical, I wouldn’t even be in business if it hadn’t been for lovely people who had donated and kept me going”

But Waters said even the money can’t quantify the damage done to his business.

He is worried the reputational impact is also too much to bounce back from.

“[The spill] was just devastating, I personally just struggled a lot after that spill, it was the worst feeling, because we’d just been trying to get the reputation back up again because all of us have suffered from people not wanting Mahurangi oysters because they’re legitimately concerned about their safety.”

Both sides agreed to an independent loss assessor reporting on how much further compensation was needed.

A few days after the report was lodged, Watercare came back with a request for more information from the farmers.

However, the farmers said they have already given them all the information they have.

Jim Aitken from Mahurangi Oysters said he is close to losing all faith.

“They’re stalling, they’re not believing us, we’ve sent an email saying no we’ve given you everything you’ve asked, they’re simply not believing us, come and see us if you don’t believe it. We’re here, we exist, these are all our oysters, and we’re sick and tired of jumping through hoops for Watercare.”

Much like Waters, Aitken’s compensation went straight into paying off debt incurred from the sewage spill.

While he was able to finally reopen his farm two weeks ago, the spill means they have missed out on the peak season and lost thousands of oysters.

“Without that money you just sit there in the red looking at your debt get bigger and bigger because quite simply even if we are open, it’s not like we can sell every oyster we have right then and there, we have to start this whole new process, get customers confidence back.”

While Aitkin said he has lost all confidence in Watercare, he is still hopeful that they will pay up.

“I want compensation to make up for the fact that I’ve had to stop two roles because I can’t afford to pay them, so I want compensation to be able to employ people so they can continue to work and keep the farm running.

“I want to make sure that this never happens again… and actual accountability from Watercare, so if this ever happens again it’s just an immediate fine.”

Chair of the Mahurangi oyster farmers association, Lynette Dunn said she is disappointed by the back and forth with Watercare.

She said they were originally promised compensation by the 19th of December.

“We’ve been fighting for the last seven years, we’ve been going into more and more debt. So with that last payment sort of income that came through that just got gobbled up into paying all our expenses that had occurred over quite a period of time, so there’s nothing in our accounts to get us through the next three months, four months.”

As the clock ticks on Watercare’s promise the farmers have all agreed on one thing.

They have got a long road ahead, not just to recover financially, but also revive their product’s reputation.

In a statement to Checkpoint, Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne said they expect the loss assessment report to be finalised in the new year.

He said Watercare acted quickly and in good faith to respond to the impacts, by first providing $1 million to the oyster farmers affected, and then appointing an independent loss assessor with aquaculture expertise.

“The assessor has met with the oyster farmers and is now assessing losses on an individual, per-farm basis. This is a complex process, and care is being taken to ensure assessments are thorough and fair.”

He said with the information in the report they will be able to confirm the next steps and timing.

This will involve Watercare contacting the oyster farmers individually to discuss outcomes and arrange any final payments.

Bourne said they know the overflow caused considerable stress to the farmers, who they reassured that Watercare will learn from the incident.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Police say a woman found dead in October was murdered in a targeted act of violence by someone known to her.

Teishallia Te Paea’s body was found at an address on Kotuku Street, Camberley, on 29 October.

Police say her body went undiscovered for likely several weeks and attempts had been made to conceal her.

A homicide investigation is underway.

The police Behavioural Science Unit (BSU) has done a preliminary analysis of the murder and the offender.

The killing was committed in a unique way, police say.

They said this person may been acting differently in the weeks after Te Paea’s death and avoiding questions about their movements, using family and friends as protection and being evasive about Te Paea.

• The offender was known to Te Paea
• The offence was a targeted act of violence
• The offender had knowledge of the property at Kotuku Street, Camberley
• The attempt to conceal the crime was to create distance between the offender and Te Paea

“If you know someone that was in contact with Teishallia and fits this profile and is reluctant to talk about their interactions with her, then please share this information with us.”

Weeks after her death and ahead of Christmas, Detective Inspector Martin James says police are more determined than ever to find the offender.

“We know someone in the community knows what happened, and that as time goes on, that knowledge will be eating away at them.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

When Jevon McSkimming was sentenced on Wednesday, his lawyer and the judge told the court he was the first person in New Zealand to be prosecuted for simply viewing objectionable material.

The former deputy police commissioner was sentenced to nine months home detention at the Wellington District Court, after pleading guilty to the possession of child sexual exploitation and bestiality material in November.

Judge Tim Black and defence lawyer Letizea Ord both told the court during the sentencing they understood this was the first time someone had been prosecuted for simply viewing material online, rather than downloading it or distributing it.

“Perhaps one of the unique features of this case is that none of the images were downloaded or stored in any way,” Ord said.

However, she said it was accepted that viewing – particularly his clicking on some 160 images – was “akin to downloading from a sentencing perspective”.

Judge Black noted in case law there was a “limited pool of decisions which involve possession”.

“Most of the decisions involve some other more serious offending, such as importation or distribution.”

Victims advocate Claire Buckley told RNZ the law hadn’t kept up with technology and people no longer had to download material to have it at their fingertips.

“I would like to see that line between viewing, versus downloading and sharing, be eradicated, those three things all put together, because if you’re viewing it, you are absolutely contributing to the creation of it.”

Viewing it still generated demand, she said, and over time the searches tended to become more extreme.

“If you start off on AI-generated images, eventually that’s not going to cut it anymore, and you’re going to go looking for slightly more realistic, and something harder-core, by which time you are generating harm because you’re generating demand for really objectionable material which requires abuse of people in order to create it.”

The evidence showed people tended to make the shift from AI-generated content to reality, but very few made the jump from watching content to acting out those things themselves, she said.

However, the harm was still very real for victims of objectionable material.

Parents of children who had been filmed for this purpose found it incredibly triggering, Buckley said.

“It’s like ‘that happened to my kid, and now, this guy could be looking at those images.’

“Once those images go around, you can never get rid of them, not really. And so the families who have been harmed by this kind of thing are harmed over and over and over again.

“They weren’t [downloaded or shared] in this particular case, but that’s what frequently happens, and people don’t separate it in their minds when they’re a victim.”

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