Immigration adviser jailed

Hakaoro Hakaoro, 54, was jailed for 20 months after admitting charges brought by the Immigration Advisers Authority. Photo / File

Exploitation of would-be migrants included demanding sex and making client his servant

A former immigration adviser sent to jail yesterday had already been disciplined seven times for behaviour including making a client his servant and offering to get another woman pregnant.

Hakaoro Hakaoro, 54, was jailed for 20 months after admitting charges brought by the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA).

The charges came after multiple complaints to the authority, including that he told a client he would get her pregnant as having a child was the fastest way to get a work permit.

During an investigation in September last year, the IAA upheld a complaint from the woman, who refused repeated requests from Hakaoro to go to a motel and have sex to get her pregnant.

In another case, the authority was told a woman who was in New Zealand illegally and under financial stress agreed to be his servant in July 2011.

She was exploited and expected to undertake inappropriate tasks including heavy lifting and massaging Hakaoro's wife in the early hours of the morning.

He also told her he would get her a residence permit if she would have sex with him.

During another IAA investigation in October 2012, Hakaoro wrote an email to the IAA that was "openly racist, where he identified the complainant's nationality and said persons of that nationality have a 'corrupt and dishonest disposition'," the decision said.

Seven complaints against Hakaoro were upheld, and he was struck off as an immigration adviser.

Hakaoro was sentenced in Manukau District Court yesterday after admitting six charges of providing immigration advice without a licence and one charge of holding himself as an immigration adviser.

The IAA said Hakaoro had received more than $13,000 from six Tongan nationals trying to obtain lawful immigration status for themselves or relatives.

Judge Eddie Paul said Hakaoro's victims were vulnerable people, anxious to secure their status in this country.

"One can hardly think of a more vulnerable person than one in a foreign land being offered an opportunity to remain in that foreign land when the reality was that offer was unlawful and delivered in a deceitful way."

After his release, Hakaoro must repay $5000 to his victims at $20 a week.

IAA registrar for immigration advisers Barry Smedts said yesterday's sentencing was a "great" result for the Pacific community and anyone receiving poor immigration advice could ask the authority for help.