Extradition bid: Queensland police seek Te Puke man’s return to face 2017 serious assault charge

A Te Puke man accused of leaving Australia more than six years ago before his trial for an alleged violent attack is fighting to stay in New Zealand.

Joseph John Riwhi, 42, who appeared in the Tauranga District Court last Thursday, opposed an extradition application by Australian authorities to return him to Queensland to face a May 2017 charge of causing grievous bodily harm to another man.

Extradition request documents released to the Bay of Plenty Times show the charge relates to an allegation Riwhi attacked his victim in the Mount Isa Base Hospital’s accident and emergency department waiting room in Mornington on March 4, 2017, breaking his jaw.

The maximum penalty for this offence is 14 years in prison.

According to a Mount Isa police constable’s affidavit in support of extradition, Riwhi is accused of “suddenly and without warning” striking the 56-year-old complainant in the jaw with a clenched right fist causing him to “fall to the ground in an apparent unconscious state” after they had “exchanged words”.

It is further alleged Riwhi struck the complainant in the face again with a clenched right fist while he was on the ground. The complainant was flown to Townsville to have surgery for his broken jaw.

In his affidavit, the constable said Riwhi was charged with grievous bodily harm on May 2, 2017, and granted bail the same day in the Mount Isa Magistrates Court. On August 15, 2017, he was committed to stand trial in the District Court of Mount Isa.

Riwhi was remanded on “conditional bail” to appear at the Mount Isa District Court on February 15, 2018, but failed to turn up and an arrest warrant was issued, the constable said.

On March 6, 2018, a Queensland detective received information that Riwhi flew from Brisbane to Auckland on January 21, 2018, using his New Zealand passport. The detective contacted New Zealand police.

On March 7, 2018, a Wellington detective advised Queensland police Riwhi was in New Zealand according to a vehicle purchase registered to a Hamilton address, the constable’s affidavit said.

The extradition documents also include an affidavit dated June 21 this year from a detective attached to the Interpol bureau at NZ police national headquarters,

In his affidavit, the detective said immigration records showed Riwhi last entered New Zealand on September 1, 2022, and there was no record of his departure since that date.

NZ Transport Agency records confirmed Riwhi was the registered owner of a motor vehicle with a Te Puke address and on April 3 this year he used the same vehicle as collateral to secure a loan from a Mount Maunganui finance company, the detective’s affidavit said.

Defence lawyer Alessia Spense told Judge Thomas Ingram Riwhi opposed the extradition application and a defended hearing date would be needed.

Spense said Riwhi sought bail.

Crown prosecutor Cindy Lee, appearing on behalf of New Zealand police, said her instructions were to oppose bail, particularly given the serious allegations.

Judge Ingram granted Riwhi bail, subject to several conditions, and remanded him to next appear in court on October 14 for his opposed extradition hearing. The judge requested written submissions from the defence and Crown lawyers.

Riwhi’s bail conditions include surrendering any passports to the court, not attempting to leave New Zealand, not applying for any travel documents and reporting to Tauranga police station once a week.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She covers mainly police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.