Citizenship scammer hits again

Self-styled chief Amato Akarana-Rewi is selling Aotearoa "citizenship" to overstayers in his Otara garage, absolving them from New Zealand law. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Overstayers are paying hundreds of dollars for worthless citizenship certificates in a second fraudulent scam.

Just last week, Gerard Otimi was found guilty of running a passport scam preying on Tongan and Samoan overstayers who paid $500 to be "adopted" into Otimi's Maori hapu, have their passport stamped and receive a certificate permitting them to "stay in Aotearoa as a hapu".

The second scam involves overstayers paying up to $370 for Aotearoa citizenship certificates, which promise to absolve the holder of all responsibilities under "Pakeha law", including paying taxes to the New Zealand Government.

The man behind the scheme, calling himself Chief Tupai, has a chequered past, the Weekend Herald has learned.

And immigration authorities warn the certificates are worthless, and holders will be deported.

"The so-called Aotearoa citizenship certificates allegedly being sold to migrants who are unlawfully in New Zealand are completely fraudulent," said Nigel Bickle, head of Immigration New Zealand.

"People paying for such certificates should take the matter to the police, because the certificates are worthless."

Mr Bickle said his department was the sole agency with the lawful authority to allow foreign nationals to enter and remain in New Zealand.

"People should be wary of being scammed by others for money. We haven't received complaints about these so-called citizenship certificates. If we do, they'll be passed to police for investigation."

A Tongan overstayer who bought a certificate said he learned about the scheme after being approached by a "Government of Aotearoa immigration agent" at the Otara market in South Auckland last month.

After parting with his money two weeks ago, the man was made a "citizen of Aotearoa" at a garage in the Otara home of a Maori man introduced to him as Chief Tupai.

"I wanted to get my citizenship sooner, but Chief Tupai is really popular and it's not easy to get an appointment to see him," he said.

Yesterday, there was a queue of six people when the Weekend Herald visited the Dawson St home of the 78-year-old man, who said he's also known as Amato Patira Hoani Tohu Kake Akarana-Rewi and Dan Davis - a gang name from his earlier involvement with Black Power.

He claims to be a member of the Confederation of Chiefs of the United Tribes of Aotearoa and also a Samoan high chief.

Mr Akarana-Rewi maintains that the citizenship certificates he issues are "100 per cent legal" because Maori had retained their sovereignty under the 1835 Declaration of Independence.

"We have every right, as sovereign Maori, to issue citizenship under the laws of our Sovereign Government. Our birthright, and common and international law makes them perfectly legal," Mr Akarana-Rewi said.

"We are not citizens of New Zealand, but of the Sovereign Maori Nation of Aotearoa as per the 1835 independence declaration."

Mr Akarana-Rewi said he has renounced being a New Zealand citizen and has issued a "significant number" of certificates, many to overstayers, who have also taken up Aotearoa citizenship to gain political immunity and freedom from prosecution, payment of rates, arrears and traffic fines.

"As a citizen of Aotearoa, no New Zealand Government body, from immigration to parking wardens, have got any authority over us," he said.

Mr Akarana-Rewi, who claims to be a Ngati Whatua elder, said the Treaty of Waitangi gave Maori the authority to "let white settlers or whoever we choose" into the country.

He denies charging hundreds of dollars for the certificates, but only requests a koha of $100 to cover "paperwork costs".

This is not the first time Mr Akarana-Rewi has embarked on such a scheme. In 1999, he charged Asian and Pacific Island overstayers $1000 for "worthless" Maori citizenship, saying it would give them immunity from immigration laws.

Labour MP Sua William Sio, who knows of a Samoan overstayer who paid $200 to Mr Akarana-Rewi for his certificate, is advising overstayers to "deal direct" with Immigration New Zealand.

"This certificate is a bogus citizenship certificate and has no legitimate value whatsoever in New Zealand."