Trust goes broke

A community trust with links to disgraced former Manukau councillor James Papali'i has gone bust owing more than $1 million.

The Mangere Community Hub Trust was set up in 2007 and placed in liquidation last month because of outstanding debts to Inland Revenue.

The trust operated from a property in Linnet Place, Mangere, and aimed to provide social services in the areas of health, mental health, youth justice and families.

When contacted, James Papali'i, who signed trust documents as a witness, said he wasn't part of the trust.

"I only provided advice in the early stages and that's basically it," he said.

Former Manukau City councillor Papali'i was convicted of theft and forgery charges in 2006, after Herald on Sunday reports about the spending of public grant money.