SIMON O CONNOR/Stuff
Three trustees of Ngāti Te Whiti Whenua Tōpu Trust have withdrawn from their appointments. The trust manages the assets of Ngāti Te Whiti hapū people, whose rohe includes Ngāmotu.
Three trustees managing the assets of a Taranaki hapū have stepped down, kicking off another election process. The Ngāti Te Whiti Whenua Tōpu Trust tumult comes as it awaits the Māori Land Court decision on whether trustees who served during the time former chief executive Shaun Keenan stole $486,000 were liable for the loss. The five trustees nominated for a new term due to commence this month were announced late last year following an election process.
A two-day hearing was held in October, where evidence was heard from trustees and independent lawyer Spencer Webster, who was commissioned by the court to investigate the trust’s affairs. During the course of his review, Webster found none of the trustees had been involved in Keenan’s offending or colluded with him, but he did point out several “performance issues” which could have contributed to the fraud, including a delay in having the 2014 accounts audited. However, the trustees deny this and maintain they acted honestly in connection with all trust property and their reliance on Keenan and the information he provided to them was reasonable due to standing in the community as a former police officer and member of a prominent whānau.