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Allegations of Abuse
in NZ |
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Tea Ropati - League Star accused
of rape |
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Sunday News Accused rapist Tea Ropati's
defence team has sensationally won the right to recall a key defence witness
so a question his lawyer forgot to ask can be put to her. The woman who has name suppression
gave evidence at Ropati's Auckland District Court trial on Friday supporting
the league legend. Ropati, 43, is on trial for
allegedly sexually violating and raping a 36-year-old woman he met at
Ponsonby Rd celebrity haunt, The Whiskey Bar, in June, 2006. The former Kiwis
star and Auckland Warrior has denied all six sex charges. On Friday, a woman at The Whiskey
Bar on the night of the alleged incidents, said she had come forward to
reject allegations Ropati was being "sleazy". She said she had
spoken with Ropati more than once that night and found him friendly. In cross-examination, crown
prosecutor Phil Hamlin played bar security footage showing a woman he said
could be the witness talking with Ropati. He also played footage of the
patron being followed into the toilets by Ropati. The woman told the court
she could not recall the incident. After the hearing, Ropati's senior
defence lawyer Gary Gotlieb said he was seeking leave to have the witness
re-examined on a question Ropati had wanted put to her. Late on Friday, Judge Paul Gittos
approved the unusual application. Last night, Gotlieb told Sunday
News Ropati had written a note and passed it to his defence team but there
was some "confusion" and the question was never put to the witness. The judge suppressed the woman's
identity despite her wish it be made public. "I think this woman has come
forward in the interests of justice," Gittos told the court. "I'm
not suggesting you have done anything wrong but you might not realise the
impact this could have on your family." It was understood 3News would
appeal the name suppression. Ropati's close friends and fellow
league greats Stacey Jones, Dean Lonergan and Tawera Nikau also took the
stand as defence witnesses. On Thursday Jones told the court
he had known Ropati for 15 years. "He was someone I had always
looked up to as a kid," the former Kiwis and Warriors halfback said. Asked whether Ropati was
disrespectful to women, Jones responded: "No ... he's very respectful to
women all the time. He is very approachable." Outside court, Jones told Sunday
News he was "shocked" when he heard Ropati had been charged with
rape. "He's a mate of mine and
always will be," he said. Former Kiwis lock turned TV
commentator, Nikau, said he had done "quite a bit" of socialising
with Ropati. He said Ropati was "very polite" and "enjoys being
out and having a good time". Ropati's wife, Vanessa Ropati,
told the court she and her husband had argued and he had left the house in
the hours before he allegedly sexually attacked the woman. The couple had "a bit of a
disagreement over parenting issues" on the evening of June 14, 2006, she
said. The trial continues on Tuesday. |
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