Charles Rameka appears in the Rotorua District Court. Photo / Andrew Warner
Charles Rameka appears in the Rotorua District Court. Photo / Andrew Warner
Charles Rameka was on a meth-fuelled “bender” brandishing what appeared to be a detonator when he told police he had planted a bomb in a car.
The 48-year-old’s actions sent a Rotorua suburb into lockdown and sparked a New Zealand Bomb Squad callout.
Now Rameka, whose full name is Charles Warren Wahanui Rameka, will spend 21 months in jail after admitting threatening harm to people and property, unlawfully carrying an explosive, possession of an offensive weapon, dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and three charges of sustained loss of traction.
Rameka appeared in the Rotorua District Court for sentencing on Monday before Judge Greg Hollister-Jones.
A vehicle believed to have been involved in the Ford/Sunset Rd incident.
Photo / Andrew Warner
The vehicle had the words, “bring that kid f**k yo” spray-painted on the back window.
The vehicle left at the intersection of Ford and Sunset Rds. Photo / Andrew Warner
He tied a school bag to the rear window wiper and attached a flashing red light on the roof before leaving.
Police arrived shortly afterwards and noticed what appeared to be a grenade in a baby formula tin wedged between the steering wheel and dashboard.
This resulted in cordons being created and nearby residents being evacuated, Judge Hollister-Jones said.
Charles Rameka did burnouts on the corner of Sunset and Ford Rds while on a methamphetamine-fuelled bender. Photo / Andrew Warner
At 11.15pm, Rameka approached the cordon in another vehicle and failed to stop for police.
He got angry and yelled at police: “I’m the one who planted the bomb”. He then said: “Do you know what this is?” while brandishing what appeared to be a detonator.
Police arrested him at another cordon using OC spray. Knuckle dusters were found in the vehicle.
Judge Hollister-Jones said the bomb squad searched the vehicle at the intersection of Ford and Sunset Rds and found a smoke grenade.
The sentence
Rameka’s relevant convictions included aggravated robbery in 2019, 10 convictions for violence offences, two for sustained loss of traction and one for dangerous driving. He was sentenced to six years imprisonment in 2019, during which time he stopped using methamphetamine and underwent a drug rehabilitation programme.
“After leaving prison, you reconnected with anti-social associates ... Once released, you struggled. You had employment but that didn’t work out and you have then relapsed.”
He noted a pre-sentence report said Rameka had become paranoid about what people were thinking and saying about him.
The judge said it was evident Rameka’s “strategy” was to “cause serious alarm and fear”.
“This was a result of a meth bender you had been on.”
He was sentenced to 21 months in jail on the lead charge of threatening harm to people and property but was given leave to apply to spend the sentence at a drug rehabilitation centre, should one become available. His application for home detention was declined because the address he provided was not suitable.
On the associated charge of possession of an explosive, he was sentenced to a concurrent sentence of 12 months imprisonment. He was sentenced to further concurrent sentences of 12 months imprisonment for possession of a knuckle duster and two months imprisonment for dangerous driving. For the latter, his driver’s licence was disqualified for six months. For the three sustained loss of traction charges his licence was disqualified for 18 months, to be served cumulatively. For failing to stop, he was convicted and discharged.
He will be subject to six months of post-prison release conditions.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
