Andrew
LITTLE
Justice Spokesperson

22 August 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Rewa revelations demand inquiry
Minister of Justice Judith Collins must now act urgently to set up a public inquiry into the Malcolm Rewa case, says Labour’s Justice spokesperson Andrew Little.

Mr Little’s call follows revelations on last night’s 3rd Degree television programme that police knew Rewa’s identity after the first of his serial rapes in 1987 but did not start the hunt for him until 1995, by which time had committed 24 rapes.

Last night’s information follows earlier revelations that the police insisted on prosecuting Teina Pora for the Susan Burdett rape and murder even though some investigating officers harboured real doubts about whether he was the actual perpetrator.

“There is now serious and credible evidence that the investigations that led to Teina Pora’s prosecution and into the Malcolm Rewa case are highly questionable. An independent public inquiry into all aspects of the Rewa and Teina Pora cases is needed to restore public confidence,” Andrew Little says.

“There are now so many very serious allegations swirling around that a refusal by the minister to launch an inquiry would be a dereliction of her duty.

“Even though an appeal to the Privy Council has now been lodged by Teina Pora this does not prevent the minister setting up an inquiry, since the Privy Council won’t go into any of the issues that have now been called into question.

“This government has called a top level inquiry at the same time as proceedings are before the courts when it set up the inquiry into Pike River, so Pora’s appeal to the Privy Council is no barrier to the government inquiring into all the circumstances of the Rewa case.

“And it’s not enough for the minister to just say the Independent Police Conduct Authority can investigate given that they declined to do so, and that it is probably beyond their resources anyway.

“There are 24 victims, one dead, with a real possibility they may have been spared their tragedy if police had acted properly on information available, and they are entitled to know, for their own peace of mind, what actually happened.

“The public deserves to know the truth and to be reassured that any failure by the police won’t be repeated,” says Andrew Little.

ENDS

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