Palmerston North ex-principal accused of $500k fraud

Former Palmerston North principal Wayne Kevin Codyre faces 52 charges of obtaining by deception between December 2019 and March 2023. Photo / Jeremy Wilkinson

By Jimmy Ellingham of RNZ

A former Palmerston North school principal is accused of fraudulently obtaining more than half a million dollars.

Wayne Kevin Codyre is facing 52 charges of obtaining by deception between December 2019 and March 2023, totalling $548,205.

During that time he was principal of Ross Intermediate School.

Court documents don’t name the alleged victim or victims, but Palmerston North is listed as the location for all charges.

The documents allege he obtained various amounts by deception – from as much as $117,590 to as little as $448.

Codyre, 50, no longer works at Ross.

He’s also known by his married name, Wayne Jenkins.

Codyre appeared in the Palmerston North District Court earlier this month. He entered no pleas and is due to reappear next month.

Codyre was a long-time principal of Ross and had served as president of the Manawatū Principals’ Association. He was often quoted in local and national media about education issues.

Ross board of trustees member Mike Yiannoutsos said the school wasn’t in a position to comment.

The Teaching Council said Codyre’s registration was recently cancelled.

- RNZ