The man charged with the arson of a stolen ute last month, in which two dogs were burned alive, had been assessed as fit to plead.
Waaka Rewiri Moka, 25, made a brief appearance before Judge Keith de Ridder in the Kaitaia District Court on Friday, and was further remanded in custody to June 13 for a case review hearing on a charge of cruelty to/ill-treating an animal, which he has denied.
Guilty pleas were entered to charges of unlawfully taking a vehicle, arson and burglary.
Moka allegedly stole the Toyota Hilux ute, which had three dogs in cages on the back, with police saying it was driven into a paddock and set alight. One dog escaped but the other two died.
Moka is alleged to have stolen the ute from the Broadwood home of brothers Chad, 22 and Theo Scrivener, 24, on March 16.
