CTU Runanga Media Release

29 May 2012

CTU Runanga Supports Appeal In Urewera Sentencing

CTU Vice President Syd Keepa supports the appeal lodged against the two and a half year sentence for firearms charges being lodged today on behalf of Tame Iti and Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara.

Syd Keepa said “these charges arose out of the illegal terror searches in 2007 that a jury was unable to reach a verdict on, it is out of scope for the Judge to take those charges into account in sentencing for these relatively minor firearms charges.”

“The Crown have tried to paint this all along as military style training with sinister plans building in Ruatoki in 2007. Prosecution was initially sought under the Terrorism Suppression Act but the Solicitor General declined permission, the Supreme Court ruled that some video surveillance evidence was inadmissible because it was illegally obtained. It is unfair to sentence Tame Iti and Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara in the light of previous charges and illegally obtained evidence.”

“Last week the CTU Runanga passed a vote of support for Tame Iti and Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara, and backed calls to appeal the sentencing. This builds on a resolution passed last year, by a majority of the CTU affiliates council calling for the charges to be dropped based on the stress and suffering of the defendants and the Ruatoki community, the delay of over four years in bringing the case to court.”

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ENDS

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