Taupō businessman charged with rape, and trying to bribe his alleged victim

The man is accused of raping a woman, and trying to bribe her to withdraw her complaint against him. Photo / File

A Taupō businessman accused of raping a woman and trying to bribe her to withdraw her police complaint is to head to trial to defend the charges.

The man, who has been granted interim name suppression, appeared in the Rotorua District Court yesterday before Judge John Bergseng and pleaded not guilty to three charges.

The man is charged with two counts of sexual violation on November 30 last year at Rotorua. One charge is raping a female aged over 16 and the other is unlawful sexual connection.

He is also jointly charged with two others of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The trio allegedly “attempted to dissuade [the complainant] by bribes or corrupt means, namely paying her money to withdraw her police complaint of sexual violation”, according to the charging document.

The two people charged alongside him also have interim name suppression.

The man elected a trial by jury. He will be recalled again on August 27 for a case review hearing.

Judge Bergseng allowed the man’s bail to be varied from having a 24-hour curfew to being required to remain at his home in Taupō between 7pm and 7am.

He was also now allowed to use an electronic device for his business obligations, and he is allowed to attend his business during the day if accompanied by his wife.

Judge Bergseng said the man’s name suppression would remain in place for now and a one-hour hearing would be held on or after July 10 to determine if it should continue.

One of the other two men charged with perverting the course of justice previously pleaded not guilty to the charge and will have a case review hearing in the Rotorua District Court on July 16.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed a warrant has been issued for the arrest of the third man charged with perverting the course of justice.

He was to appear in the New Plymouth District Court on May 29.

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.