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Allegations of Abuse
in NZ |
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Tea Ropati - League Star accused of
rape |
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Radio NZ The jury in the case of a former New Zealand rugby league
international player accused of rape is considering its verdict. Tea Ropati, 41, has denied six charges of sexually
violating a woman in June 2006. Judge Phil Gittos has advised the jurors to put out of
their minds the fact that Mr Ropati is a league star and put aside any notion
of morals. The former Warriors and Kiwis international says he
engaged in consensual sexual activity with the 36-year-old complainant. However, she says she was too drunk to consent, and woke
to find herself in a car feeling pain from injuries to her genitals. She says she remembers seeing Mr Ropati's angry face over
her. Mr Ropati's defence lawyer Gary Gotlieb says his client's
character and reputation has been sullied beyond belief, and the only thing
he has done wrong is cheat on his wife. |
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