Lemeki Namoa was the Head Boy for Sacred Heart College in 2017 and captained the school's First XV for two years. Photo / Supplied
Lemeki Namoa was the Head Boy for Sacred Heart College in 2017 and captained the school's First XV for two years. Photo / Supplied
The promising future of a schoolboy rugby star is at a crossroads after getting caught running drugs for the Comancheros motorcycle gang.
Lemeki Namoa was the head prefect for Sacred Heart College in 2017 and captained the prestigious Auckland school's First XV rugby team for two years, including an appearancein the final of the top-tier competition.
The outside back was an age-grade representative for the Blues and on track for a professional career after being named in 2019 as the Super Rugby franchise's development player of the year.
"I've been pretty lucky, [I'll] keep working hard," Namoa said in accepting the award at a black-tie dinner.
But the following year, the 19-year-old was arrested by detectives from the National Organised Crime Group investigating a drug syndicate run by the Comancheros gang.
About $20,000 cash was found in Namoa's bedroom, as well as a black leather vest with yellow trim. The colours are synonymous with the notorious outlaw motorcycle club from Australia.
He was arrested in December 2020 as part of the second phase of Operation Cincinnati and this month, on the eve of a High Court trial, pleaded guilty to a pair of methamphetamine offences.
One of the charges he admitted was being in possession of 1kg of the Class-A drug for supply.
Namoa, now 22, declined a Herald on Sunday request for an interview.
His defence lawyer, Tiffany Cooper, said she was unable to comment ahead of the sentencing hearing in the High Court at Auckland.
Lemeki Namoa being interviewed shortly after being named the Blues Development Player of the Year in 2019. Photo / Supplied
Although Namoa was near the bottom of the pecking order in the drug ring, he still faces a potential term of imprisonment.
Regardless of the final sentence, it's a remarkable fall from grace for a talented young man who once spoke of following in the footsteps of his childhood heroes, Doug Howlett and Joe Rokocoko, the great Auckland and All Blacks wings.
Sacred Heart College headmaster Patrick Walsh said it was "disappointing and sad" to hear about the poor decisions the former head prefect had made.
"During his time at the college, Lemeki was a well-respected leader with outstanding potential and charisma," Walsh said.
"We hope that Lemeki can receive the support and guidance needed to make personal changes for the better and his future."
A spokeswoman for the Blues said Namoa had not been part of the development group since 2019 and the franchise was unaware of the drug charges.
She referred the Herald on Sunday to the North Harbour Rugby Union chief executive Adrian Donald.
He confirmed Namoa had previously been in the development programme in 2020 and 2021 although he was not currently contracted to the union.
"He's been in our high-performance environment as a talented player and he's been playing club rugby for Massey this year," said Donald.
Lemeki Namoa was the Head Boy for Sacred Heart College in 2017 and captained the school's First XV for two years. Photo / Supplied
"We're aware of the charges but can't really comment because everything is still before the court. We've given Lemeki plenty of support and will continue to do so.
"Our vision at North Harbour is 'improving life through rugby'. We think rugby, and sport in general, give people great opportunities and this would be no different, in that sense."
Lemeki Namoa playing for Auckland in the Under-19 Rugby final in 2019. Photo / John Cowpland
His downward spiral can be traced straight back to his decision to associate with the Comancheros.
Namoa never joined the gang himself.
Lemeki Namoa was the Head Boy for Sacred Heart College in 2017 and captained the school's First XV for two years. Photo / Supplied
But he was identified by police in Operation Cincinnati, led by Detective Sergeant Jason Hunt, a nine-month investigation into the distribution of drugs by the Comancheros and Rebels gangs.
Ten of the 14 accused - including Seiana Fakaosilea, the acting national commander of the Comancheros - pleaded guilty to the various charges they faced relating to methamphetamine and MDMA (Ecstasy) on the eve of the High Court trial.
These admissions whittled the trial down to four defendants, with the evidence put before the jury largely focused on an alleged plot to import 600kg of methamphetamine from South Africa.
Fakaosilea pleaded guilty to several charges of possession of Class-A drugs for supply, as well as supplying commercial quantities of methamphetamine.
However, the 22-year-old has denied six other charges, including the alleged conspiracy to import drugs from South Africa, and another alleged shipment from Fiji.
"While the Crown and police have some things right they have an enormous amount wrong," Fakaosilea's lawyer, Jasper Rhodes, told the jury in an opening statement.
