A blood-stained blanket at the hotel. Photo / Dean Purcell
The Korean man found beaten up in an Auckland hotel room has been served a removal order and is now in police custody.
The Immigration Service served the order on the 37-year-old man this afternoon and he is due to appear in the Auckland District Court on
Monday.
Police said the man had entered New Zealand under a false identity on June 5 after being deported in April.
Four men found with him at the Rainbow Hotel were this afternoon charged with assault over yesterday's incident and are due to reappear in Auckland District Court in about a week.
Initially officers said it was alleged the man had been kidnapped in Christchurch four days ago.
But today police said they doubted the truthfulness of the kidnap claims and that the man had been talking to officers about his stay in Auckland.
"There are aspects of the complaint that are questionable in terms of its veracity," police said in a statement.
"Police now believe that the so-called kidnapping victim came into New Zealand on June 5 using a false identification ," the statement said.
The four men, three aged 32 and one 29, were held in custody overnight and arrived at the district court in white police boiler suits.
The alleged victim was kept in hospital overnight with head injuries which were not believed to be life-threatening.
- NZHERALD STAFF / NZPA
