Rotorua beggar sentenced after lashing out aggressively at driver at intersection

Ekana Manahi appearing in the Rotorua District Court via audio visual link. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Rotorua beggar “aggressively approaching” motorists as they pulled up at a busy city intersection “lashed out” at one by trying to kick him, court documents have revealed.

Ekana Maurice Manahi, 44, pleaded guilty to five charges, including disorderly behaviour and a Land Transport Act charge for loitering on a road, which Rotorua police are using more often to target beggars at intersections.

Court documents released last week to the Rotorua Daily Post detail how Manahi’s aggressive actions resulted in an altercation with a driver on the side of the road.

A police summary of facts said Manahi was on the middle island at the intersection of Fenton and Amohau Sts in the early hours of February 25 begging for money for a significant time.

The summary said this put him at significant risk of injury or death from moving vehicles and made him a distraction to motorists.

He was “aggressively approaching motorists as they pulled up to the intersection”.

At 12.22am he approached a motorist in a van and “became enraged”. He “lashed out” and tried to kick the driver but missed, the summary said.

He picked up a stick and threw it at the driver.

The driver pulled his vehicle over to the side of Amohau St and got out.

The summary said Manahi approached the driver and took a “fighting stance” in the middle of the street, exchanging heated words with the driver before walking away.

Sleeping in a lift

Manahi’s other admitted charges were trespass, breaching court bail and breaching police bail.

On the trespass charge, the summary said Manahi was trespassed from the Pukuatua St car park building by Rotorua Lakes Council in October.

On February 29, Manahi was found asleep in the lift next to a shopping trolley full of his belongings and was arrested by police elsewhere later that morning.

The Pukuatua St car park building in central Rotorua. Photo / Felix Desmarais

’Go and do some work,’ says judge

Manahi appeared before Judge Glen Marshall in the Rotorua District Court on March 12.

He told the judge he was to start work picking kiwifruit the following week.

For that reason, the judge cancelled Manahi’s remaining community work hours from previous offending and sentenced him to six months’ supervision on all charges except loitering at an intersection, which carried a maximum sentence of a $35 fine. On that charge, he was convicted and discharged.

Judge Marshall praised Manahi for getting a job, saying it would be much better for the community if he was earning his own money.

“You have to stop this making a nuisance of yourself … Go and do some work because it will be good for the city.”

Tough new approach on begging

Rotorua police have said a tough new approach to begging at intersections aimed to improve the city’s reputation and protect the beggars and motorists from potentially getting hurt.

The Rotorua Daily Post reported in February organised begging gangs were believed to be travelling to Rotorua because the city had become known as “generous” to the homeless, with some boasting they could make up to $400 a day.

Rotorua police area commander Inspector Herby Ngawhika. Photo / Andrew Warner

Area commander Inspector Herby Ngawhika told the Rotorua Daily Post last month police were now charging people who persisted begging at intersections under the Land Transport Act.

The Rotorua Daily Post reported on one of those convicted, homeless man George Mohi, who was fined $35 and ordered to pay court costs of $130.

Ngawhika said many locals were not happy with the beggars’ actions and felt intimidated. He said the approach was also about the safety of motorists, other pedestrians and the beggars.

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.