30 Aug 2018

No evidence of Tauranga paedophile ring - police

From Checkpoint, 5:14 pm on 30 August 2018

The brother of a high profile Māori leader accused of involvement in a paedophile ring by his widow says the whānau is relieved the police have halted the investigation.

Awanuiārangi Black

Awanuiārangi Black Photo: RNZ

Anihera Black first made the claims about her late ex-husband Bay of Plenty Māori leader Te Awanuiārangi Black in a video posted on social media two months ago, saying he was a paedophile, and the ringleader of a child sex ring.

Te Awanuiārangi Black died in 2016, aged 48.

Some former friends strongly rejected the accusations against him.

Ms Black previously said she gave the police the names of four people she believed may have been involved in, or have knowledge of, what she called a paedophile sex ring.

Today Detective Inspector Mark Loper said one person had come forward since the allegations were made.

But he said police had found no evidence that a paedophile ring is, or was, operating in Tauranga.

Anihera Black has released a statement to Checkpoint saying she will not with draw the claims. 

"Just because the police have closed their file on the matter doesn't make it any less true. People believe what they want to and what makes them feel comfortable. At the end of the day, the truth doesn't discriminate." 

Mark Black, the brother of the late Te Awanuiārangi Black.

Mark Black, the brother of the late Te Awanuiārangi Black. Photo: Supplied

Mark Black told Checkpoint his family had always believed the allegations were nonsense and the confirmation from police today was a great relief.

"It's what we wanted ...we've been encouraging police to delve in as far as they can and they have done that. The whole thing about the paedophile ring and everything as I've always said, it had no basis, there was actually no hard evidence at all and it's come out in the statement ... hat there isn't."

"There is supposedly one complainant that I can see, and all the others seem to just be a load of nonsense." 

Mr Black said while he did not hate Mrs Black for making the allegations, he was confused why she did it. 

"I've said all along that I don't hate Anihera for doing what she did but I just couldn't understand why she said it," he said.

"My brother was being unfairly treated because he was just ripped to pieces and he had no defense.

"I'm just pleased that it's starting to move on now, it's going to be great."  

His family was taking legal advice on what action they could take, Mr Black said.

"We will be proceeding with our legal council, seeing what options we have ... it does need to be silenced, it's gone through due process with the police which it should have been done in the first place." 

"If she knew about these alleged incidents before she should have actually gone to the police to start with ... it's affected a lot of people in different ways." 

Anihera Black during her first interview since making allegations of pedophilia against her late husband, Awanuiārangi Black.

Anihera Black during her first interview since making allegations of pedophilia against her late husband, Awanuiārangi Black. Photo: Supplied/TVNZ.