Hawke's Bay man convicted of slavery appeals sentence and conviction

Joseph Matamata, 66, was sentenced to 11 years' jail for slavery and trafficking offences at the High Court in Napier in July. Photo / File

The first man in New Zealand who was sentenced for dual slavery and trafficking offences is appealing his conviction, Stuff reports.

In a precedent-setting trial, 66-year-old Joseph Matamata was sentenced to 11 years in jail by Justice Helen Cull in the High Court at Napier last July after being found guilty on 13 charges of dealing in slaves and 10 of trafficking in persons.

Stuff reports that Matamata is appealing his conviction and sentence, while the Solicitor-General is appealing the sentence.

Also known as Viliamu Samu, he was the holder of the family chief title of Matai in Samoa.

Matamata's charges related to offences against 13 people brought from his home community to work in New Zealand over a 25-year period from 1994 to his arrest in December 2018.

He was also ordered to pay $183,000 in reparation to the complainants, who have name suppression.