Ngai Tahu threat to fisheries officer
A New Brighton man threatened retribution from Ngai Tahu when he was caught taking under-sized paua at Motunau, North Canterbury.
Luther Ruri told the officer: “It’s my right to take whatever I want, because I’m from Ngai Tahu. When Ngai Tahu find out about this, they’re going to deal to you.”
He stated that the fishery officers were picking on him because he was Maori. The officers were being racist because they were all white.
Ministry of Primary Industries prosecutor Grant Fletcher related Ruri’s comments to the Christchurch District Court after the unemployed New Brighton man, aged 22, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing undersized paua, obstructing a fisheries officer, and using threatening language to a fisheries officer.
Mr Fletcher said the incident took place at Motunau Beach on November 29, 2014, when there were 15 honorary fisheries officers attending a training day.
When an officer approached Ruri, he asked the officer why she “didn’t do something about the Asians” instead of hassling people like him.
He snatched the bag of paua and walked off towards the Motunau River where he emptied the bag into the water. He said the officers then didn’t have any evidence against him, but was warned he could be charged with obstruction.
He then made the further comments, including telling an officer, “Snitches get stitches” and he would find out where she lived. He was then arrested.
Thirty-six paua discarded by Ruri were recovered from the river and 32 of them were under-sized.
Mr Fletcher said Ruri had been warned over an earlier fisheries incident on Banks Peninsula.
Judge Stephen O’Driscoll convicted Ruri and remanded him on bail for sentencing on April 30, and called for a pre-sentence report with an assessment of his suitability for home or community detention.
Category: News
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