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Allegations of Abuse
in NZ |
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Tea Ropati - League Star accused
of rape |
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=1500916&objectid=10490682 NZ Herald
Tea Ropati. Photo / Greg Bowker The Ropati family have ruled out
taking a private prosecution against the woman who accused former league star
Tea Ropati of raping her. Ropati, 43, was acquitted of six
sex charges last week after a seven-day trial. During the trial the
complainant, who has permanent name suppression, admitted snorting a line of
cocaine hours before she met Ropati at a Ponsonby bar in June 2006. Lawyer John Ropati, who was on his
brother's legal team, had indicated a private prosecution was being
considered because she had gone unpunished for using a class A drug. But a
family statement yesterday said that would not be happening. "The Ropati family will not
be taking a private prosecution re the cocaine incident at The Whiskey Bar.
No such comments were made by or endorsed by Tea Ropati. Any comments made to
that effect by other members of the family were in the heat of the moment and
as a result of the enormous stress that the family has been under." A spokeswoman for the woman said
she would not comment on the family's statement. Police said the case would
be reviewed. |
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