Comancheros Trial: Charges Against Media Personality Dropped, Accountant Pleads Guilty

Charges against a media personality have been dismissed in a high-profile trial in which he had been in the dock alongside a gang leader.

The president of the gang’s New Zealand chapter, Pasilika Naufahu, began his trial alongside fellow comanchero Connor Michael Tamati Clausen, accountant Wiwini Himi Hakaraia, as well as a media personality and a woman, who have name suppression.

Today, that number was reduced to two as the media personality was acquitted of all charges, while Hakaraia was also acquitted of most charges, but admitted possession of Class A drugs.

The media personality had been charged with participating in an organized criminal group and two counts of money laundering.

Judge Graham Lang said there was “insufficient evidence” to consider them.

The judge told the media personality that he was “free to leave the dock,” adding to the man’s attorney, Steven Lack, that “that ends his participation in the trial.”

Hakaraia pleaded guilty to two counts of Class A drug possession on April 11 of last year.

He admitted to having 27.6 g of cocaine, inside a Nike shoe and 18.2 g of powder containing cocaine and methamphetamine in a bag at his home address.

Four other charges against Hakaraia were also dropped.

He was acquitted of participating in an organized crime group and of three counts of money laundering.

Naufahu remains charged with two counts of money laundering, one regarding a Ford Ranger and the other regarding a $ 102,075 Bentley.