Police officer Marthinus Anton Keeve named in Angel Riley death case

Marthinus Anton Keeve has been named as the officer charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Angel Riley. Photo / NZME

A courtroom filled with the loved ones of a Whangārei teenager watched as name suppression was lifted for the police officer charged in connection with her death.

Seventeen-year-old Angel Riley died in a car crash on December 22, 2023 after she was allegedly chased by an officer in a police pursuit on Beach Rd in Whangārei.

That police officer was previously only known as ‘Officer A’.

Marthinus Anton Keeve can now be named as the officer who was allegedly following her in a marked police car moments prior to her crashing.

The 53-year-old from South Africa joined the Northland police unit in 2017 but since the death of Riley, is now living and working overseas.

Charges were laid against Keeve in August this year.

He entered a not guilty plea, elected a trial by jury and was granted interim name suppression.

At his case review hearing today in the Whangārei District Court, Keeve maintained the not guilty plea through his lawyer, Susan Hughes KC.

Hughes KC told the court her client did not seek further name suppression and Judge Gus Andree Wiltens declared suppression was now lapsed.

Keeve did not appear in person or via audio-visual link to which Crown lawyer Richard Annandale submitted he should appear at his next hearing.

However, Judge Andree Wiltens excused his attendance and his case was remanded through to jury trial callover on December 11.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.