Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse is “pleased” that a self-confessed Zimbabwean murderer, rapist, and torturer has left New Zealand.
Stuff reported in February that William Nduku, who lived in Auckland for almost two years, confessed to being part of up to 20 murders as a member of Zimbabwe’s secret police back in 2007.
“People with his history are not welcome in New Zealand and I’m very pleased he has gone,” said Woodhouse.
Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said he is pleased that William Nduku has left New Zealand.
Information released under the Official Information Act shows that Nduku arrived at Auckland Airport on 8 April 2015 before being detained for 228 days at Mt Eden prison.
The OIA further states that Immigration NZ declined to grant Nduku refugee status on 19 November 2015 due to his “involvement in torture”.
Nduku subsequently was granted protected person status as he alleged his life would be in danger if he returns to Zimbabwe.
He could therefore not be deported “under s164 of the Act, unless very limited exceptions apply which they did not in this case”.
But when Immigration NZ was asked whether they actually established if Nduku was really in danger, they responded: “The legal test for someone to be recognised as a protected person is that there should be ‘serious reasons for believing’ that risk exists.”
Human Rights attorney Deborah Manning assisted Nduku by lodging an appeal against the refugee decision after he was released from Mt Eden prison. She also approached Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse to ask that he uses his discretion to approve a work visa for Nduku.
In correspondence released under the OIA, Woodhouse informed Nduku on 15 November 2016 that he refuses to grant him “any visa”.
“Your immigration status remains that you are unlawfully in New Zealand,” wrote Woodhouse.
However, Nduku lived freely in Auckland for about 18 months until his sudden and unexpected departure in March. He wasn’t allowed to work and didn’t have the means to support himself financially during his stay in New Zealand.
Immigration NZ declined to confirm whether Nduku received any financial assistance from the Government, and instead said we should contact the Ministry for Social Development (MSD).
MSD in turn refused to disclose any information about any support (financial, housing, etc) given to Nduku unless he signs a waiver.
But Nduku’s whereabouts is currently unknown. It’s also unclear what passport he used to leave the country seeing as he entered New Zealand on a fake South Africa passport that was confiscated.
“For legal and privacy reasons INZ is unable to disclose this individual’s destination when he left New Zealand or the travel document he used,” said Immigration NZ’s Marc Piercey.
– Sunday Star Times
