Paedo claims ‘irrefutable’

There are at least three claims of child sexual abuse against Te Awanuia¯ rangi Black which are irrefutable, his widow says.

Anihera Zhou Black also said she had received two more disclosures about abuse by her late husband since she accused him of being a paedophile in an extraordinary Facebook post a week ago.

Police are looking into her claims, which also include an allegation that Awanui Black was part of a child-sex ring in Tauranga.

Awanui, a Bay of Plenty Regional councillor and chairman of the Tauranga Moana Iwi Leaders Group, died aged 48 in November 2016.

In an interview with TVNZ’s Marae broadcast yesterday, Anihera was asked about any proof to back her allegations of paedophilia.

She said she had heard of firsthand disclosures from a number of sources who had found it very difficult to be believed because of Awanui’s status as a councillor and Ma¯ori leader.

“We did the [Facebook] video to give them permission that it’s okay to come forward, that you will be believed.

“People have come and told their stories. They are not allegations. It is their truth.”

Of those disclosures, three were irrefutable, she said.

“Just because we choose to protect those people it doesn’t mean that that’s not true.”

One of the people had who spoken to her about abuse by Awanui was 8 years old at the time. She did not know how old the other two people were at the time they were abused, but said it was a similar age.

Another two approaches had been made to her since the Facebook post by people who said they had been abused. One was an individual, and the other was a group of people.

Asked about evidence for a sex ring in Tauranga, Anihera said she had found images on Awanui’s computer or mobile phone.

“Some of the warped things that I’ve discovered . . . on some of Awa’s devices are pictures of him and others in naked positions and it’s obvious in some ways that they’ve been staged for an audience.

“It’s not just something to keep on your phone. One particular photo would be a teenager, a teenage girl.”

Anihera also said that she was initially told by police that there could be no investigation of her allegations because Awanui had died, and they could only offer support to the victims. Awanui’s spokesman, Willie Te Aho, told Marae it was wrong that Awanui’s memory was “being besmirched in this way”. “I absolutely don’t believe that he was a paedophile,” he said. “I don’t accept those allegations at all.” Te Aho said he was disappointed that hugely damaging claims were able to be made against Awanui outside the courts. “I’m disappointed with the law . . . that allows people to make outrageous statements, untested, after a person has died; where they do not have an opportunity to respond and to go through the rigours of a trial to prove their innocence.

“That’s exactly what has happened in this situation.” Anihera Zhou Black says her husband did it.