He appeared before the Parole Board from Auckland South Correctional Facility on June 22, 2023, with less than six months of his sentence to serve.
The board had visited Ratana’s mother, Rangitaumata Vakatini, before the hearing, member Neville Trendle said.
“She reiterated her opposition to his release prior to the end of his sentence, which for her would have marked his recognition of the harm he caused,’ Trendle said.
“Nevertheless, she was generous in wishing him the best when he returned to the community.”
Trendle said Kuru, who was no relation to Black Power Whanganui chapter president Damien Kuru also jailed for Ratana’s death, was leaving gang life behind.
“He has been associated with the Black Power, but he told us today that he is withdrawing from that association.”
At his sentencing, Justice Francis Cooke detailed how Kuru, after losing touch with his roots, had turned to life in the Black Power in an effort to establish some sort of identity.
While Kuru had an extended offending history, accumulating 75 convictions since 2004, Trendle said he had used his time in prison productively.
He had completed the Te Tirohanga programmes, units which focus on Māori culture including te reo, whānau and iwi relationships, kapa haka and traditional carving.
“(He) then graduated from the Special Treatment Unit programme for Violent Offending in January this year,” Trendle said.
“He has been employed on various jobs in prison until his recent transfer to Auckland South Corrections Facility.”
Trendle also detailed how Kuru outlined to the board the changes he had gone through during his sentence.
“He appears to have matured and developed a robust sense of himself and where he wants to be in the future.
“He told us of his remorse for what he did and showed what seemed to us to be a genuine understanding of the circumstances he was in and the consequences for his victim’s whānau of his offending.”
Counsel Debbie Goodlet made written and oral submissions in support of Kuru’s release detailing the availability of accommodation and emphasising the support available in the community.
Trendle said the support available to Kuru was evident through correspondence the board received from whānau and from their attendance at the hearing.
“He has also been working with a drug and alcohol counsellor and in addition to any programme dealing with substance abuse in the community, he has the ongoing support of a counsellor as required.”
Due to the support and supervision available to Kuru in the community and his progress during the sentence, the board was satisfied his risk to the safety of the community, could be managed for the last six months with release conditions, Trendle said.
Kuru was released on July 5, to live at an Upper Hutt address, which he couldn’t leave without written approval of a probation officer.
Other conditions included not entering Whanganui, Levin, Hawkes Bay or Taranaki, not contacting or otherwise associating with Ratana’s whanau, directly or indirectly and not to communicate or associate, directly or indirectly, with his co-offenders or any person he knew associated with Black Power.
Kuru was also forbidden to use, possess or consume alcohol, controlled drugs or psychoactive substances and was aware he may be required to submit to drug and alcohol testing or monitoring.
Leighton Keith joined NZME as an Open Justice reporter based in Whanganui in 2022. He’s been a journalist for 20 years covering a variety of topics and rounds.
