Awatere Huata a liar and a thief, prosecutor tells jury

Donna Awatere Huata, the former Act MP accused of fraud, was a liar and a thief, the jury of nine women and three men has been told at her trial.

Serious Fraud Office prosecutor, Robert Fardell QC, said charges of fraud and attempting to pervert the course of justice Awatere Huata and her husband Wi Huata faced were simply a case of theft of $82,000.

During his summing up this morning after nearly three weeks of evidence in Auckland District Court Mr Fardell said the trial was not about Awatere Huata's work with under privileged children.

The whole trial was about her dishonest dealings with Pipi Foundation funds and nothing the defence had produced had dented the Crown's case, he said.

The couple had used the Pipi Foundation bank account as if it were for their own personal and private use, he said.

Awatere Huata and her husband face a total of seven charges. Four fraud charges and one of attempting to pervert the course of justice are laid jointly and two of fraud are laid against Awatere Huata alone.

They followed allegations the couple had defrauded the Government-funded charitable trust known as the Pipi Foundation of more than $80,000 and had used the money for personal expenses, including a stomach stapling operation for Awatere Huata and to pay school fees for their children.

The foundation was established by Awatere Huata in 1999 to help under-privileged Maori children with literacy and social problems and over three years received $840,000 in Government funding.

Mr Fardell said of the $840,000 almost $170,000 was dispersed by cash cheques.

"Why would there be $170,000 going out in cash cheques?

"Cash cheques to that level when you are dealing with government funding for a specific purpose does not make any sense at all," he said.

Mr Fardell said a later attempt to reconstruct minutes and financial accounts after allegations of misuse arose publicly were part of a process of self-vindication and a continuous plan of deception.

There was also a "shifting sands" approach by Awatere Huata on cash cheques later used to pay their children's school fees.

Mr Fardell was due to be followed today by a closing address by Roy Wade who appeared for Wi Huata.

Tomorrow, Guyon Foley will address the jury for Awatere Huata before the jury is given the weekend off and Judge Roderick Joyce, QC, sums up on Monday and sends the jury out to deliberate.

- NZPA