Alleged passport scammer faces further charge

The man behind an alleged scam that charged people hundreds of dollars for passport stamps is now also accused of giving immigration advice without a license.

Gerrard Otimi faces 37 charges, 36 of which are fraud-related charges.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Pizzini said Otimi will appear in the Manukau District Court tomorrow to face a new charge under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007.

Immigration consultants had to hold a license as of May 4.

Otimi has previously appeared in court on two occasions and has been surrounded by supporters from the South Auckland Pacific Island community.

Police executed three search warrants in June and found $40,000 cash and $5,000 blank hapu certificates.

Ngati Maniapoto's Tom Roa, who knows Otimi, said in June that he has never heard of Otimi's hapu.

"I find it difficult to follow this. The tikanga of adoption is longstanding but I don't know of a tikanga that's about hapu adoption. It's not a simple thing of getting a piece of paper to say you're a part of my hapu.

"The onus is on the person doing the adopting, not expecting money. You adopt them and make sure you look after them."

He described Otimi as an entrepreneur, not an activist.

- NZ HERALD STAFF