Maori sovereignty argument fails yet again in Northland court

Repeated demands were made by a prisoner for Justice Edwin Wylie to produce his warrant in a habeas corpus application. Photo / Supplied

A Maori sovereignty claimant who challenged his jail sentence repeatedly demanded the presiding High Court judge produce his warrant.

Perry Wakenuiroa Morehu, 23, applied to the High Court at Whangarei in March for a writ of habeas corpus and a copy was served on the chief executive of Corrections and Crown Law.

Habeas corpus is a written command requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, especially to secure the person's release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.

Morehu is serving a sentence of three years and nine months at Ngawha Prison for a number of offences including burglary, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and driving in a dangerous manner.

He was sentenced by the Auckland District Court in October 2015.

Morehu also served copies of his application to the offices of the prime minister, Minister of Justice, police commissioner, director of Ngawha Prison and Corrections chief executive.

He claimed he no longer goes by the name Morehu, and that he was now known as Perry Wakenuiroa of the whanau Morehu.

Morehu said he had withdrawn his consent to being governed, and that the laws of New Zealand no longer applied to him.

Therefore, he argued his continued detention was illegal.

Justice Edwin Wylie said clearly Morehu's arguments were without merit.

"The courts have consistently held that challenges to the sovereignty of Parliament, and the validity of acts of Parliament cannot succeed," the judge said while dismissing his application for habeas corpus.

Justice Wylie said he was forced to bring the application's hearing to a close as Morehu would not stop talking to allow him to issue an oral judgment.

He issued his written judgment later.

"He made repeated demands for me to produce a 'contract' between him and court, and for me to produce my warrant," Justice Wylie said of Morehu.