Daniel Brass Raharaha Nehemia was a senior Ratana Church minister when he was charged with child sex offending. He is currently on trial in the Auckland District Court. Photograph/Facebook
Daniel Brass Raharaha Nehemia was a senior Ratana Church minister when he was charged with child sex offending. He is currently on trial in the Auckland District Court. Photograph/Facebook
WARNING: This article contains descriptions of sexual abuse against children. Please take care.
A senior Ratana Church Minister is on trial in Auckland for alleged sex abuse against three boys over a 20-year period.
And it has been revealed that he has two previous convictions and has served jail time for child sex offending - including a young boy at the church where his father was a minister.
Daniel Brass Raharaha Nehemia - also known as Brass Boyboy Nehemia and Brass Boyboy Raharaha - is facing nine charges of sexually assaulting three boys between 1977 and 1999.
Nehemia has pleaded not guilty to three charges of indecencies between males, four of indecencies with a boy under the age of 12 and two of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.
Nehemia's trial in the Auckland District Court began this morning before Judge Russell Collins and a jury.
The Crown will call nine witnesses including the three complainant who will give further details of the alleged offending, members of their families, and police who have worked on the investigation into Nehemia.
The trial is scheduled to run for five days.
Daniel Brass Raharaha Nehemia is on trial for child sex offending. Photograph/Facebook
Three boys claim sex abuse by Nehemia
In her opening, Crown prosecutor Jo Murdoch told the jury Nehemia sexually assaulted three boys "who he had access to".
She said the first complainant was 11 and Nehemia 15 when the alleged abuse occurred in the late 70s.
"He alleges that on at least one incident while asleep in his bed, [Nehemia] came into his bedroom and into his bed, lay behind him and attempted to put his penis into his anus," she said.
"The complainant would avoid this by moving around in bed."
The second complainant was 7 or 8 when he was allegedly abused in the late 70s.
"The defendant came into his bedroom and got into his bed and started to cuddle him from behind … the allegation is that the defendant sexually assaulted him - he put the complainants penis into his mouth while in his bed.
"During that same incident, [Nehemia] took hold of the complainant's head and forced the complainant to suck his penis."
The boy did not want to but "he felt he had to" because Nehemia grabbed his hand and forced it onto his penis.
Daniel Brass Raharaha Nehemia was a senior Ratana Church minister when he was charged with child sex offending. He is currently on trial in the Auckland District Court. Photograph/Facebook
Recidivist offender - jury hears details of previous sex crimes
In her opening, Murdoch told the jury that Nehemia had two previous convictions for sexually abusing children.
The first was in 1979 when Nehemia was "17, almost 18".
Murdoch revealed Nehemia pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting an 11-year-old boy during Sunday school.
Nehemia's father was a minister in the Māori Evangelical Fellowship church and the boy was playing in the grounds of the minister's house.
He called the child into the house and took him to his bedroom,
He admitted to indecently assaulting the victim by touching his penis and performing oral sex on him.
He was convicted and sentenced to one year and three months in prison.
Nehemia denies offending
Murdoch said the allegations came to light "many years after the fact".
She explained that a relative of one complainant - who was aware of his abuse claim years ago - heard details of Nehemia's alleged offending against another boy.
The first two complainants went to police in April and May 2018.
When spoken to by police, Nehemia denied the offending and said after serving time in prison he "would never make that mistake again".
"It's totally unfair to our system of justice … it's important that you don't make any conclusions at this time, that you sit back and listen to the evidence.
"It's important that you start off with a blank piece of paper … not a piece of paper already stamped with what the Crown has said."
Tomlinson said it was also important to consider the alleged offending happened 40 years ago when the complainants and Nehemia were young.
He said memories that old could be "distorted" and "embellished".
"It's very important you keep an open mind," he said.
The first complainant is currently giving evidence against Nehemia.
At the time of his arrest Nehemia was a senior Ratana Church Minister.
He was ordained in November 2015.
The church was founded at Ratana Pa near Whanganui in 1920 by Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana — a Methodist farmer who was regarded as a visionary and faith healer.
The church was not aware of the charges Nehemia was facing until they were reported by the Herald.
Less than two hours after church leaders read about the alleged offending they stood Nehemia down from his position and forbade him from "participating in anything to do with the church".
"The church executive is shocked to learn of the charges against a person who holds a senior position within the church," they said in a statement.
