Dead gang member was facing charges
A man found dead in the waters of a Wellington bay was a gang member facing family violence charges.
The body of Joseph Koki Nansen, who police are yet to officially name, was pulled from the sea near Evans Bay Marina on Tuesday.
The 45-year-old Nomads gang member was wearing only his underwear.
His death is receiving significant scrutiny from detectives, who are yet to determine how he came to be in the water.
Nansen’s gang links and the fact none of his clothing was found on the shoreline have raised red flags.
It was hoped an autopsy yesterday would shed light on how he died.
Stuff has learnt that Nansen was due to appear in Wellington District Court next week on charges of using threatening language, strangulation and threatening to kill.
The alleged offending relates to a family violence incident last year.
Nansen, who police described as Ma¯ ori, about 185 centimetres tall, and slim, is no stranger to the courts.
His rap sheet includes convictions for burglary, possession of cannabis, assault, fraud and resisting arrest.
In 2011, Nansen was jailed for four years and 10 months after he breached a protection order and stabbed a former partner in the head and neck with a paring knife.
The sentencing judge, Justice Dobson, described the 2010 attack, which was stopped by members of the public, as ‘‘serious’’ and ‘‘risked inflicting substantially more serious damage on [the victim] than occurred’’.
On Wednesday, police divers searched the area of water where Nansen’s body was discovered.
They recovered a number of items that were being examined.
Yesterday, Detective Senior Sergeant Barry Bysouth, officer in charge of the investigation, said police were still trying to establish Nansen’s movements leading up to his death and how he came to be in the water.
They were following ‘‘positive leads’’ and speaking to witnesses.
Bysouth urged anyone who might have seen Nansen in the Evans Bay area, or items of discarded clothing on the shoreline, to contact police.
Anyone with information should call the Wellington Crime Squad on 105 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.