January 16, 2013
Māori sovereignty pleas go up in smoke
A Whangarei judge says while a hui held to censure four men found guilty of cannabis offences was a mitigating factor, it was not enough to prevent them going to jail.
Mitai Brown, 52, his son Maihi Paraone, 27, and brother Stephen Brown, 43, had been found guilty by a jury of possession of cannabis for supply.
Another relative, Jason Tua, 44, was found guilty of possession of cannabis oil for supply.
Police smelled the cannabis while driving past a Tikipunga house, and caught three of the four inside with more than 5kg of drugs.
The court was told the four attended a hui at Otiria Marae last Saturday where they were ordered to perform two years of "hapū service".
Whānau members, including National list MP Tau Henare, also turned out in court to support a non-custodial sentence.
But Judge Russell Callander said cannabis was a pernicious drug and the offenders needed to be held accountable.
He criticised their decision to reject legal representation during their trial, based on Māori sovereignty, because it meant they entered their trial without the knowledge of law procedure and the evidential requirements.
Mitai Brown was jailed for three years and six months. Paraone was sentenced to two years and nine months. Stephen Brown was sentenced to two years and six months while Tua got 18 months with leave to apply for home detention.
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