Man in court accused of murdering Tokoroa father Rapana Heretini

Rapana Heretini, from Tokoroa, died in hospital on May 29. A man has appeared in court accused of his murder after an incident two days earlier.

• A 21-year-old man appeared in Rotorua District Court charged with murdering Rapana Heretini in Tokoroa.
• The accused was granted interim name suppression; the case will be argued in the High Court.
• Police are seeking witnesses and footage related to the events that led to Heretini’s death.

A man has appeared in the Rotorua District Court charged with the murder of Tokoroa man Rapana Heretini.

The accused, aged 21, has been granted interim name suppression until his next appearance later this month.

He is charged with the murder of Heretini, 30, after an incident in Tokoroa on Tuesday last week.

His lawyer Andy Hill asked Judge Bill Lawson for name suppression to continue on the grounds of endangerment and safety.

Crown solicitor Amanda Gordon told Judge Lawson she had spoken to the officer in charge of the case, who advised the accused’s name was widely known in Tokoroa. It was the police’s view that name suppression would serve no purpose.

Judge Lawson said the matter could be argued in the High Court at Rotorua at the man’s next appearance on June 27. The man was remanded in custody.

A post on the South Waikato Funeral Services Facebook page said Heretini, known as Raaps, died on Thursday at Waikato Hospital.

He was the father of two children. His funeral was to be held at Te Pakira Marae at Whakarewarewa in Rotorua today.

Tributes flowed for the man on Facebook with some saying he was taken too soon and others saying they hoped justice would be served.

Another described Heretini as having a “cheeky laugh” and said he liked to play guitar, do kapa haka, sing waiata and was a good artist.

One poster said they could not believe this had happened.

“And now your babies are without a dad and you have left a huge hole in your Mum and families’ hearts, and your friends’ lives. I hope you get justice Raaps because it is unforgivable and it just never should of happened and we are all in a state of disbelief,” the person wrote.

Taupō area investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Ryan Yardley said police launched a homicide investigation after a man who was allegedly seriously assaulted on Tuesday died two days later in hospital.

Yardley said officers were called to an Abercorn Place address about 4.15am on Tuesday to reports a man had been injured by a male known to him outside his house.

The injured man was rushed to Waikato Hospital in critical condition but died on Thursday.

The arrested man appeared in the Rotorua District Court before a Justice of the Peace on Saturday and was remanded to appear today.

Yardley said police were still working to establish the full sequence of events that led to Heretini’s death and were appealing for witnesses to come forward.

“We’d also like to see any dashcam or CCTV footage anyone may have from around the time in question.”

Information can be passed on by calling 105 and quoting reference number 250527/7868 or by anonymously calling Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.