Whanganui man jailed on two manslaughter charges

Hikitia Rawiri Hakaraia was sentenced in the High Court at Whanganui. Photo / File

A Whanganui man has been jailed for his involvement in the shooting of two men just months apart.

In March, Hikitia Rawiri Hakaraia (also known as Hikitia Rawiri Box), 30, pleaded guilty to two charges of manslaughter - in relation to deaths of Whanganui men James Thomas Butler in April 2018 and Kevin Ratana on August 21, 2018.

Both men were shot dead.

He was sentenced to nine years and seven months in jail when he appeared in the High Court at Whanganui on Thursday.

The details of Hakaraia's offending cannot be reported as others accused of involvement in both shootings are due to stand trial.

Butler's daughter De-ana Bishop said Hakaraia was a yellow belly and had brought shame on his whakapapa.

"You are an oxygen thief to us, and no sentence is ever enough, sadly," she told the court during her victim impact statement said.

"There is no forgiveness from me.

"I look forward to your downfall with bated breath."

Ratana's mother Rangitaumata Vakatini​ said Ratana was her only child and she had trusted him with her life.

His death had seriously affected her health.

She couldn't cope with remaining in Whanganui following her son's death, and had moved away to be closer to Ratana's sons - her grandchildren, Vakatini said.

"His son's lives are the most affected by this," she said.

"I'm the closest thing they have to their Dad, and when I hug them I'm hugging my son."

Vakatini said the phone call she received informing her of Ratana's death had changed everything in her world.

She said it was important justice was served, but she had chosen to forgive Hakaraia for his part in her son's death.

Crown lawyer Michele Wilkinson-Smith said the fact that Ratana had himself been a gang member, and Butler a drug dealer, meant there was a danger of looking at the deaths in a "stereotypical way", but grieving loved ones had still been left behind.

Defence lawyer Susan Hughes said Hakaraia was a victim of intergenerational violence throughout his early life, and had struggled with methamphetamine addiction.

"He said if he was a member of my family he would never be where he is now.

"He is right."

Justice Christine Grice said despite Hakaraia's upbringing he, and only he, was responsible for his actions.

Any remorse he felt after the shooting of Butler obviously hadn't prevented him from participating in Ratana's death only months later, she said.

His mother had lifted herself out of the gang through education and hard work, and her continued support was contingent in Hakaraia doing the same, Grice said.