Councillor warned over false complaint

A Porirua city councillor has escaped with a police warning over a false complaint he made after taking some of his employer's money, before apparently losing it, The Dominion Post reported.

First-term councillor Hemi Matenga had been employed as a supervisor by Bodyworks gym in Porirua for 10 days, and had yet to receive any pay, when $500 went missing in September.

After the gym's management launched an investigation to find the money, Mr Matenga resigned.

He initially told police someone had put the money in his car. He then changed his story to say he lost it coming home from work.

When the gym's investigations found another $259 missing, Mr Matenga's former employers lodged a complaint with police. The city councillor had since repaid the money in full.

Porirua deputy mayor Litea Ah Hoi said she didn't believe either of Mr Matenga's explanations.

"He's a silly, silly boy. Everybody messes up but this is just beyond ridiculous. He plays the victim . He blames everybody else instead of looking at his own behaviour," she said.

City councillor Euon Murrell laid a formal motion yesterday to allow the council to discuss Mr Matenga's future as one of its members. The motion was prompted by members of the public, he said.

- NZPA