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An Auckland builder has told a court how Taito Phillip Field suggested his Thai friend Sunan Siriwan "lie low" while he was facing deportation from New Zealand.
Keith Williams was giving evidence at a depositions hearing which will determine whether Field should go to trial on 40 charges.
Field faces 15 bribery and corruption charges alleging he allowed several Thai nationals whom he was helping with immigration issues to work on seven of his properties for little payment other than the costs of materials between November 2002 and October 2005.
He also faces 25 charges alleging he attempted to obstruct or pervert the course of justice during an inquiry into the corruption allegations held by Noel Ingram QC and to a subsequent police inquiry.
Mr Williams said he knew Thai tiler Sunan Siriwan, who finished giving evidence to the hearing today, through his work and because he attended Thai functions in Auckland because his wife was a Thai.
He said he heard Mr Siriwan's wife was about to be deported in 2005, and that Mr Siriwan was also due to be deported.
Friends said they knew Field helped people with immigration problems and they subsequently contacted him.
Mr Williams said they first met in Field's office, telling him that Mr Siriwan's wife and son Henry were about to be deported, even though Henry was born in New Zealand, and showed him some employment offers Mr Siriwan had.
He said Field said he could help Mr Siriwan as he was an expert tiler and spoke to his secretary about getting something for him.
"He said he would have to travel to Samoa and that he could tile his house, he had 400 sq m of tiling to do on his house," Mr Williams said.
Field said Mr Siriwan would tile Field's house with tiles Field would send to Samoa in a container. Field also said he would provide accommodation for Mr Siriwan, and some form of payment and allowance and some food money was discussed at some stage, Mr Williams said.
"He said it was best he leave the country and an application made for him to get a work permit, otherwise he'd be deported," Mr Williams said.
"The consequence of deportation was clear: if he was deported he wouldn't be allowed back for five years. Everybody knew that."
Mr Williams, an expert shower and kitchen builder, also suggested he go up to work on Mr Field's showers, something Mr Field agreed to.
"I said I'd go up there and do it for him if he paid my ticket and I could help Sunan settle in, and he thought that was a good idea."
It was during this meeting that Field suggested Mr Siriwan try to avoid detection.
"There was a reference made several times to keeping a low profile. He was suggested not to drive his car as he could be stopped and face deportation," Mr Williams said.
Mr Williams is due to continue giving evidence tomorrow.
Mr Siriwan, who yesterday told the hearing that Field gave him 1000 tala ($553) after asking him to lie to police about the work he had done for him, said today that he hoped his testimony would stand him in good stead for future applications to work legally in New Zealand.
He also became tearful earlier today when asked why he did not want to back to Thailand.
Mr Siriwan eventually said he did not want to go back because his first wife had an affair when they were together in Thailand. He had not told anyone about it because he was embarrassed.
The depositions hearing is into its fourth week and is expected to finish by the end of the week.
- NZPA
