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Focus on
Police Competence |
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Three young woman
wrongfully convicted and jailed want the High Court to quash a compensation
package worth more than $400,000 and order the Government to make a new
offer. Lucy Akatere, Tania
Vini and McCushla Fuataha served seven months in prison after being convicted
of an aggravated robbery in Three Kings in August 1999. Ms Akatere was 15 at
the time and her co-accused were 14. The case was reopened
after a witness admitted she lied and the three were proven to have been nowhere
near the scene of the attack. The Court of Appeal overturned the convictions
in 2001 and told the girls: "We offer our sympathy." A report prepared for
the Government by Wellington QC Kristy McDonald n in 2003 recommended paying
Ms Akatere and Ms Vini $135,000 each and Ms Fuataha $137,500. The women are
challenging the Government guidelines used to reach compensation figures. Rodney Harrison, QC,
yesterday told the High Court at Auckland the guidelines were unworkable,
inconsistent and arbitrary. "It is our case
that sense can not be made [of the guidelines]," he said. The civil claim does
not seek any particular compensation sum but asks the court to direct Cabinet
to reconsider the offer. The hearing continues
today. |
