JP still working as inquiry continues
A Wellington justice of the peace is still able to perform his duties, despite being under investigation for allegedly sharing Islamophobic posts online.
In May, Kantilal Bhagabhai ‘‘Ken’’ Patel allegedly shared the posts to a private Facebook group called Wellington Indians.
Stuff has seen one post and has chosen not to publish its contents.
Patel, the recipient of a 2004 Queen’s Service Medal and a Kiwibank Local Hero award in 2010, ended up resigning from the Wellington Justices of the Peace Association.
Ministry of Justice chief legal counsel Jeff Orr said justices of the peace were dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
The minister of justice would make a decision based on information to hand, he added.
Patel was invited to make submissions to the ministry within 20 working days but it was understood officials had not received anything yet.
Stuff previously reported that Patel had been on health boards, was a marriage celebrant and a Wellington Safety Hero.
Yesterday, Patel said he did not know what had happened and he was still a justice of the peace. He refused to comment further.
The vice-president of the Wellington Justices of the Peace Association, Ann Clark, was not aware of any updates, and said the situation was no longer in the association’s hands.
In May, complaints were sent to the association about Patel’s alleged posts. In an email to a complainant, Clark said: ‘‘We were appalled at the posts.’’
The association found the ‘‘posts were not consistent with the standards expected of a justice of the peace’’, she wrote.
A spokesman for the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand said it would not comment until the investigation was over. Previously, the spokesman, who saw one of Patel’s alleged post, said it was unacceptable.
‘‘They ramp up the cycle of intolerance and hatred, which at its most extreme culminates in events such as we saw unfold in the Christchurch mosques in March 2019,’’ the spokesman said in May.
‘‘It is especially disappointing that these posts were made by someone who held a position of trust and respect in the community.’’
At least one post Patel allegedly shared was written in Hindi. The spokesman said those types of social media posts could fuel an Islamophobic atmosphere, which was currently prevalent in parts of India.
To become a justice of the peace, people have to be nominated by a member of Parliament for the electorate where the potential justice of the peace lives.
Nominees must be New Zealand citizens or residents, have a good command of English, be confident computer users, must not be bankrupt, must declare all criminal convictions, and letters of support from two community groups are required.
The entire process takes up to a year and involves interviews and provisional approval by the associate minister of justice, as well as training. An application is then be signed off by the governor-general and the new justice of the peace is sworn in by a district court judge.
Justices of the peace can be removed from their roles or suspended. There are also lesser forms of discipline, including written rebukes and further training.