The Star: December 28, 2023

• By Sam Sherwood
WHAT NOT to take to a prison
visit? A car full of drugs, cash, a
gun, and drug paraphernalia.
One person learned that the
hard way recently when they
were caught with a cache of contraband
in their vehicle during
a visit to an inmate at Christchurch
Men’s Prison.
Corrections said staff became
suspicious of a vehicle that attempted
to drive into a visitor
car park and bypass the prison
entry checkpoint while the drug
dog detection team was conducting
routine searches of vehicles
entering the prison.
• By Emily Moorhouse
A CHRISTCHURCH freezing
worker who chased and stabbed
a man in a backyard with a
boning knife he had hidden
under his jacket claims he was
acting in self-defence.
But a jury didn’t buy Viliame
Kasanawaqa’s stories as he was
jailed for four-and-a-half years in
the district court.
Kasanawaqa was found guilty
earlier this year on one charge
of wounding with intent to
cause grievous bodily harm and
one charge of wilful damage
Staff redirected the driver to
the checkpoint area and the two
occupants were instructed to get
out of the vehicle so it could be
searched.
“Drug detector dog Kaos
alerted staff to a bag inside the
vehicle, which was passed on to a
handler for manual searching. A
large amount of cash, cannabis,
and a number of empty small
ziplock bags were located inside
the bag,” prison director Jo Harrex
said.
“When staff carried out a
further search of the vehicle, they
found drug paraphernalia and a
firearm.”
Police were contacted and a
relating to a car.
The court heard that Kasanawaqa
was at a party on December
19, 2020, when an argument
broke out.
While a man was being
restrained on the ground Kasanawaqa
approached him and
began punching him in the head.
Kasanawaqa was then removed
from the address.
The following week, two men
from the party went to Kasanawaqa’s
address to confront him,
after being told he had smashed
the windscreen of a car as he was
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Prison visitor busted with drugs, gun
person was taken into custody.
All items were seized by police.
“This was a fantastic find by
our dog section, with Kaos front
and centre of this operation,”
Harrex said.
“Let this serve as a reminder
to anyone who visits our sites
with prohibited items – we will
find them and you will be held to
account.”
– NZ Herald
SNIFFED OUT: Detector
dog Kaos alerted staff to a
bag inside a vehicle in the
prison’s visitor car park.
PHOTO: NZ HERALD
Freezing worker claimed stabbing self-defence
This report was produced by
Open Justice – Te Pātītī, an
NZME initiative funded by
NZ on Air
leaving the party.
Kasanawaqa denied he caused
the damage to the car and suggested
going to a fourth man’s
address to discuss the matter.
The two men agreed to Kasanawaqa’s
suggestion and offered
him a ride to the fourth man’s
house but he refused, saying he
would meet them there.
When the two men left Kasanawaqa’s
address, he went into
his house and grabbed a boning
knife, which he had from his
job at the freezing works, and
concealed it in his jacket.
Kasanawaqa then travelled to
the address of the fourth man.
The two men were already at the
address, standing at the back
door as they spoke with the
owner of the address.
Kasanawaqa began to slowly
climb the outdoor steps behind
one of the men so he was the
same height as him before he
began to punch him in the head.
Thursday December 28 2023 The Star
COURT 9
The man responded by returning
punches to Kasanawaqa.
He then pulled out the boning
knife and stabbed the man in the
abdomen.
The man turned to get away
from Kasanawaqa but he chased
and stabbed him a second time
while threatening to kill the
man, before leaving the address.
The court heard the man who
was stabbed had a pregnant wife
who he was not able to support
due to having time off work. He
also suffered nightmares from
the attack and felt unsafe.
A CONSIDERED CHOICE
HOLLY LEA CARE CENTRE
At Holly Lea, we are committed to delivering exceptional care. A place where personalised care
meets modern care practices and facilities. Ensuring your lifestyle is as you’d like it to be, not as
you’re told it has to be. Holly Lea Care Centre offers care up to hospital level, as well as a specialised
memory support unit. Now offering respite care for a limited time.
123 FENDALTON R OAD, CHRISTCHURCH | 03 351 7764 | HOLLYLEA. CO. NZ