A Northland rugby player has slipped out of the country and left behind confusion over an unresolved criminal charge.
Eroni (Junior) Gadolo flew home to Fiji- at the Northland Rugby Union's expense - just before Christmas after his work visa expired.
But police are seeking him over a charge of driving while suspended. The flanker's professional contract with the NRU ended last season.
The union agreed to fly Gadolo home after immigration officials told the NRU that the charge laid against him would be dropped.
But Northland police say they had never agreed for the charge to be dropped, and Gadolo will be arrested if he returns to New Zealand.
A warrant to arrest Gadolo was issued in the Whangarei District Court on February 2 after he failed to turn up at a court appearance. He had last appeared in court on the charge on September 15, 2009.
Gadolo had made no secret that he was returning home to trial for the Fiji national team.
He attended trials in Suva last month but failed to make the cut.
There is no suggestion Gadolo has fled the charge, but questions have been raised as to how Immigration New Zealand allowed him to leave with the charge unresolved.
Immigration NZ has refused to release information pertaining to Gadolo's immigration status and why he was allowed to leave the country while facing a criminal charge.
Northland Rugby Union operations manager Greg Shipton said Immigration NZ contacted him in December to say that Gadolo's visa had run out.
"They wanted me to return him voluntarily to Fiji so I arranged for his travel down to Auckland and Northland [Rugby Union] paid for his flight back to Fiji."
On the driving charge, Mr Shipton said: "I was informed by Immigration that if he went back to Fiji, police will agree to drop the charge."
He said he was shocked to learn that a warrant was out for Gadolo's arrest.
Head of police prosecutions in Northland Senior Sergeant Janine Attwood-Graham said the driving charge still stood and she was not aware of any arrangement to drop the charge.
"We'd still be seeking a warrant ... this is not a minor charge and is not a finable matter only," Ms Attwood-Graham said.
Persons convicted of driving while suspended receive a mandatory disqualification. The charge's maximum penalties are a $4500 fine and three months' imprisonment.
Gadolo told The Fiji Times newspaper that Fijian coach Samu Domoni Junior called him up to attend the trials.
After four years of playing top level rugby in New Zealand, Gadolo said it was time for him to give something back to Fiji.
Fiji Rugby Union operations manager Vilikesa Rinavuaka confirmed Gadolo came for the trials but was no longer considered for national duties. "His problem- and we'll deal with that if he ever gets selected for Fiji- is with the New Zealand Government."
He said the FRU was not aware of Gadolo's whereabouts.
Wanted player has left the country
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