Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Identities suppressed for three men accused of kidnapping, robbing and murdering Claude Takao in Whakatāne

Sandra Conchie
Sandra Conchie
Multimedia Journalist, Bay of Plenty Times·Bay of Plenty Times·
19 Jul, 2023 03:14 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The Whakatāne murder accused appeared in the Tauranga High Court on July 19. Photo / George Novak

The Whakatāne murder accused appeared in the Tauranga High Court on July 19. Photo / George Novak

Three men accused of kidnapping, robbing and murdering Claude Takao appeared in the Tauranga High Court today - one of whom pleaded not guilty.

Police earlier said Takao, 47, of Nukuhou, was found dead down a bank in Whakatāne on June 1.

Five people are now facing various charges in relation to the case.

Two men aged 25 and 31 and a third man aged 34 faced joint charges of aggravated robbery, murder and two counts of kidnapping when they appeared in the Tauranga High Court today.

The 34-year-old man today pleaded not guilty to his charges through his lawyer.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The other two accused, who appeared in the court by an audio-visual link from prison, are yet to enter pleas after their lawyers sought more time from Justice Neil Campbell to seek further disclosure from the police and take legal instructions.

The attendance of a fourth defendant aged 32, who is jointly charged with aggravated robbery and two charges of kidnapping, was excused on medical grounds. Lawyer Nicola Pointer entered not guilty pleas on that man’s behalf.

Despite Crown solicitor Anna Pollett’s opposition, the defendants’ lawyers successfully argued for interim name suppression to continue for their clients until August 2.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Justice Campbell told the defendants the suppression orders would need to be further argued on August 2, otherwise they would lapse.

Justice Campbell further remanded the four defendants in custody.

Police have also charged a 14-year-old with aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

A police spokesperson earlier said this was an ongoing homicide investigation and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Top political advocate takes on Ōpihi case as land battle heads to court

04 Feb 02:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Waitangi Day in Rotorua: Two cultural celebrations for locals and visitors

04 Feb 01:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'This isn’t about putting prices up': Rafting business merger goes to ComCom

03 Feb 09:32 PM

Sponsored

Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 

15 Jan 12:33 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Top political advocate takes on Ōpihi case as land battle heads to court
Rotorua Daily Post

Top political advocate takes on Ōpihi case as land battle heads to court

The 26.9ha Ōpihi Block is earmarked for a 240-lot housing development.

04 Feb 02:00 AM
Waitangi Day in Rotorua: Two cultural celebrations for locals and visitors
Rotorua Daily Post

Waitangi Day in Rotorua: Two cultural celebrations for locals and visitors

04 Feb 01:00 AM
'This isn’t about putting prices up': Rafting business merger goes to ComCom
Rotorua Daily Post

'This isn’t about putting prices up': Rafting business merger goes to ComCom

03 Feb 09:32 PM


Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 
Sponsored

Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 

15 Jan 12:33 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP