Rotorua men plead not guilty to alleged attack

Haki Tuaiti Thompson (left) and Te Pou Rangirangi appear in the Rotorua District Court relating to an alleged stabbing at a Te Ngae Rd roundabout on March 8. Photo / Andrew Warner.

Two of three men charged over an alleged stabbing incident at a roundabout on Te Ngae Rd this month have appeared in the Rotorua District Court.

Te Pou Rangirangi and Haki Tuaiti Thompson appeared before Judge Greg Hollister-Jones on Wednesday, April 3, and pleaded not guilty to a range of charges.

The pair, who are both from Rotorua, denied joint charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, participating in an organised criminal group and aggravated robbery of vehicle keys and a mobile phone.

Rangirangi, 30, also pleaded not guilty to disqualified driving and Thompson, 35, pleaded not guilty to three other charges including unlawful possession of a two shotgun cartridges, cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis.

All charges relate to alleged offending in Rotorua on March 8.

Judge Hollister-Jones remanded both in custody to reappear for a case review hearing in June.

A third man who is jointly charged and has yet to enter pleas was scheduled appear in court next week.

-Rotorua Daily Post.

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1 comment

The mind boggles...

Posted on 05-04-2024 13:17 | By morepork

... at the background that would cause 2 young, healthy, men to waste their lives in such a way. They weren't born as violent thugs. When did they decide to become such? As a society, we are obviously not doing as well as we need to be. The cult of the "bash" has to be eliminated in our society and it is down to families, social groups, schools and workplaces to make it socially unacceptable. There is nothing heroic about preying on the weak; if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. Get yourself a better deal; become better.


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