Fraud charges against ex-MP Awatere Huata reduced

Donna Awatere Huata

The number of fraud charges faced by former ACT MP Donna Awatere Huata and her husband Wi Huata was reduced today.

The pair originally faced a total of 19 charges but today the total was reduced to seven when they were read out in the Auckland District Court. They denied all counts.

A jury was empanelled today but Judge Roderick Joyce said the start of the trial would be delayed until next Monday because some of the evidence could not be heard until then.

They were committed for trial after a depositions hearing in Auckland District Court late last year.

The pair each face four joint charges of fraud by using a document and one joint charge of attempting to pervert the cause of justice.

Awatere Huata also faces two fraud charges.

As each charge was read out both answered "not guilty" in strong voices when asked to plead.

The Serious Fraud Office alleged the couple misused almost $80,000 of cheques from the taxpayer-funded Pipi Foundation between September 1999 and April 2002.

The cheques were allegedly used to pay for personal items such as Awatere Huata's stomach-stapling operation and their children's school fees.

Since the charges were laid ACT has won its legal action endorsing its move to invoke party-hopping legislation and expel her from the party.

- NZPA