Joe Matamata faces more charges in employment slavery case

Samoan national Viliamu Samu, known locally as Joe Matamata, was charged with human trafficking and slavery. Photo / File

Further charges have been laid in the High Court prosecution of a Hastings man charged with slavery and trafficking.

The charges were laid with an amended notice of charges presented to the court in Napier todayas Samoan national and former horticultural contractor Joseph Matamata, also known as Viliamu Samu, appeared for case review proceedings.

Details of the charges, which Crown prosecutor Clayton Walker said had the consent of the Attorney-General, were not read in court and were not immediately available.

The short hearing was before Justice Peter Churchman, via audio visual link, and defence counsel are Roger Phillip and William Hawkins.

Matamata initially faced 18 charges, including seven of arranging entry of a person into New Zealand by deception and 10 counts of using a person as a slave.

He had previously intimated he would defend the charges, and today the court was told there were further complainants and further witnesses likely to extend the trial to five weeks from the initial estimate of four weeks.

Matamata was arrested following a lengthy investigation by Immigration NZ and the police.

Allegations made by victims include not being paid for work completed, having their passports taken, and being subjected to physical assaults and threats.

It is claimed the alleged offending had been ongoing since the 1990s across Hawke's Bay.

Alleged victims also claim that their movements were closely monitored and controlled, and there were restrictions on where they went and who they had contact with.

Matamata was remanded on continued bail for a trial scheduled to start on February 10 next year.