Paedophile ring: Police see no sign of any proof
Weeks spent investigating Anihera Zhou Black’s claims against late husband
There’s no evidence of a paedophile ring in Tauranga and the woman who made the allegation — and serious claims against her dead husband — is refusing to speak.
Detective Inspector Mark Loper said police had spent weeks investigating claims by Anihera Zhou Black that her former husband Te Awanuia¯rangi Black was a member of a Tauranga paedophile ring.
Loper said: “Police have been contacted by one person since the allegations were made.”
He said no information would be released about that approach.
“However we can advise that, to date, we have not received any information or evidence to substantiate the allegation that a ‘paedophile ring’ is or has been operating in Tauranga.”
Zhou Black made the allegations in an emotional Facebook Live post. The post was viewed at least 500,000 times in two weeks before Facebook removed it.
The claims won her widespread support for her courage in speaking out but caused enormous grief among family and friends of her husband, who either rejected the allegations or called for evidence.
At the time of his death in 2016, aged 48, Black was a regional councillor, Maori Party political aspirant, a commissioner at the Maori Language Commission, lecturer at Te Wananga o Raukawa and Treaty of Waitangi negotiator for Ngati Pukenga.
In interviews with the Herald, Zhou Black had said she was directly aware of one victim of her husband. She claimed that after her husband’s death, the person disclosed abuse that occurred at age 8.
She also said: “This goes deep and wide, in terms of the paedophile ring, to the highest heights you can imagine. These people aren’t just labourers and workers at fast-food restaurants. These people are suits and people in power.”
Zhou Black met police within days of making the Facebook Live post but said it was up to the person who disclosed alleged abuse to make their own decision about coming forward.
Since then, the Bay of Plenty Times spoke to one man who said he had been repeatedly abused. It is not known whether this is the same person who approached police.
Loper said police had worked hard through the investigation to create space for anyone who wished to come forward.
He said police wanted it known the allegations had been taken seriously and were distressing for Zhou Black, whanau and the Tauranga community.
“Based on the information currently available, Police are unable to progress this matter any further at this time.”
He said people were still welcome to approach police with information.
“Anyone who is not comfortable approaching police is encouraged to get in contact with their local Sexual Assault Support service.”
Zhou Black said yesterday she had not seen the police statement though she had met with police in the last week: “I’m not surprised by whatever they have got to say and I have no comment and would not like to have any mention of making any comment.”