Waitangi Trust fraudster released on parole
A man who embezzled more than $1.2 million from the Waitangi National Trust has spent just a year in jail.
Wallace Tamamotu Te Ahuru, 32, was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison after he admitted making 43 payments from the trust, which administers the Treaty Grounds, to his own bank accounts, spending the money on cosmetic surgery, business-class travel, expensive clothing and a car.
In his role as corporate services manager he was responsible for the financial administration of the trust.
Te Ahuru was sentenced on February 22 last year and after a parole board hearing on January 20, 2020, he was released from jail last Wednesday.
He first became eligible for parole on November 24 after completing one-third of his sentence, but was declined.
After the latest hearing, parole board panel convenor Neville Trendle said after the parole board spoke with Te Ahuru it was evident he had “developed an acceptable level of insight into his offending”.
“He is clear that his actions were totally unjustified. . . and he knew they were wrong. He said at the time he had a sense of entitlement and was somewhat disenchanted with the recognition he was receiving for the level of work he was undertaking.
“He became overwhelmed. More importantly, he did not confront other issues that were going on in his life. His values shifted as a result of these matters. He told us that relinquishing his role and travelling to Australia was his way of discontinuing his offending.”
Te Ahuru told the parole board he was deeply ashamed of his actions and he hoped that by returning to New Zealand to deal with the charges and by his prompt plea of guilty that he had demonstrated his contrition and remorse. His time in jail had given him the opportunity to reassess his life.