October 14, 2013
Kohanga story not the full picture
A Te Kohanga Reo trustee says a Maori Television expose tonight of alleged financial misappropriation at the trust’s commercial subsidiary will connect dots without revealing an accurate picture.
Toni Waho says action taken by the board over the botched launch of two new training programmes, which led to the forced departure of chief executive Titoki Black, had caused resentment among some senior staff.
He says that resentment was behind the leaking of material to Maori Television about Te Pataka Ohanga Ltd, a company run by Lynda Tawhiwhirangi, the daughter in law of trust member Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi.
"Someone has gone into the trust records, we have this under investigation, and stolen credit card records. They were passed on to Maori Television who no doubt tonight are going to try to make links to dots that don’t exist," Mr Waho says.
He says some of the spending on the credit card was recognised by Mrs Tawhiwhirangi as personal and paid back soon after it was incurred, while other items are still being investigated by Te Pataka Ohanga Ltd directors.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd