Field family pressured me to lie - builder

Taito Phillip Field. Photo / Greg Bowker

A builder who oversaw construction on a Taito Phillip Field-owned house in Samoa says he was "pressured" by the former MP and his family into lying in statements taken during an investigation into Field.

Fa'atiga Sulusulu yesterday told a High Court jury sitting in Auckland that he signed a 2005 statement he made with the help of Field family members knowing it to be only "80 per cent true".

He also gave evidence of lying to investigating lawyer Gareth Kayes in a statement taken later that year.

Field is defending 35 charges of bribery, corruption and obstruction of justice after allegedly allowing Thai immigrants to work for him in exchange for help with immigration matters.

Mr Sulusulu yesterday told prosecutor David Johnstone he was contacted by Field family members - including Field himself - and told to make a statement for them.

Mr Sulusulu told Mr Johnston he now rejected 20 per cent of the statement "because they are not my words".

He said Field family members, including Field, again instructed him on "what to say, and what not to say" prior to his meeting with Mr Kayes.

He cited three reasons for lying, saying: he felt pressure from the Field family, he did not appreciate how far the investigation would go, and "because I was looking out for Taito".

Mr Sulusulu told the court of making other affidavits in 2006 and 2007. When asked whether he had been truthful then, he replied: "I wasn't proud of it".

He also admitted lying in further statements to police, under pressure from "the family".

Under cross-examination by Field's lawyer Paul Davison, QC, Mr Sulusulu said his family had become close to Field after he helped them in an immigration fight to have his sister returned to New Zealand after she was deported to Samoa. Field had also helped him revive a failing business venture, and had worked tirelessly to help others in his community.

In earlier evidence, Mr Sulusulu told the court he had initially been surprised and "a bit disappointed" to be told Thai tiler Sunan Siriwan and builder Keith Williams would be joining him in working on Field's Samoa property.

He said he considered it a "challenge" to do the work himself.

Mr Sulusulu, under cross-examination, agreed with a defence contention that Mr Siriwan and Mr Williams became "pretty much a duo" during their time working on the Field house.

While Mr Siriwan had been a good worker and a competent tradesman, he and Mr Williams had found time to go drinking, leave discarded beer bottles around the property, and form "attachments to local women", the court heard. The trial continues.

* The trial

Taito Phillip Field, former Labour MP for Mangere

The charges: 12 x bribery and corruption, 23 x obstruction of justice

The allegation: That he helped Thai immigrants with immigration matters in exchange for work on five properties between 2002 and 2005

It is the first time a sitting MP has been charged with bribery and corruption.

The trial, before Justice Rodney Hansen, is expected to run for three months.