Billy Te Kahika Jr to have jury trial for fraud, Electoral Act charges

Anti-lockdown activist and former political candidate Billy Te Kahika Jr is facing fraud and Electoral Act charges.

Te Kahika is charged with causing loss by deception, and with breaches of the Electoral Act.

It is not immediately clear when he will contest the charges but his case was mentioned at Auckland District Court this morning.

His lawyer Paul Borich QC said Te Kahika would no longer pursue any name suppression requests.

Te Kahika has elected a trial by jury on the charges.

The case was mentioned at a short hearing before Judge Nicola Mathers. Borich attended remotely and Te Kahika's appearance was excused.

Te Kahika is on bail in Northland and the case will be mentioned again on December 10. It's expected Te Kahika's attendance at that hearing will be excused again.

Suppression orders granted at a previous court hearing on September 1 covered many details of the case until today.

Te Kahika was charged with obtaining more than $1000 by deception, causing a loss of more than $1000 by deception, and four charges of breaching the Electoral Act.

In September last year, the Electoral Commission said it was considering a complaint about Te Kahika's NZ Public Party and its collection and use of donations - but the investigation was dropped soon after.