A former trustee who looted a Far North Māori land trust of a million dollars has been sentenced to five years and two months' imprisonment.
62-year-old Stephen Henare used his position as a trustee of Pārengarenga 3G Trust to strip it of the money set aside to replant a commercial forest.
Serious Fraud Office director Julie Read says the sentence imposed today by the High Court at Auckland reflects the seriousness of offending which has had a devastating financial, social and emotional impact on the 400 current and future beneficial owners of trust.
The current trustees are now faced with challenges in the continued maintenance of the forest and the potential future loss of a substantial portion of the remaining assets of the trust.
Henare's sister and fellow trustee, Margaret Dixon, was last year sentenced to 12 months' home detention and ordered to pay $5,000 in reparation.
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