New Zealand: Teina Pora confirms compo bid for 'wrongful conviction, imprisonment'

The NZ government is being very tight-assed about it though

Teina Pora has formally notified the Government of his intention to claim compensation for "wrongful conviction and imprisonment".

Justice Minister Amy Adams has today received a letter from the lawyers for Teina Pora of the news.

Mr Pora spent more than 21 years in prison for the rape and murder of Susan Burdett, before his conviction was quashed by the Privy Council in March 2015. The Privy Council did not order a retrial.

Ms Adams said that as no retrial was ordered by the Privy Council, Mr Pora's application will be treated as being within Cabinet Guidelines.

"Now that Mr Pora's application has been received, I will be seeking preliminary advice from my Justice officials on the next steps," says Ms Adams.

"Officials will assess whether the claim merits further consideration and, if so, provide me with advice on appointing a QC or retired judge to determine whether the applicant can prove they are innocent on the balance of probabilities."

Ms Adams has also ordered a new inquiry into whether or not David Bain should be awarded compensation after he was acquitted, at a retrial, of murdering five members of his family in Dunedin in 1994.

Retired Canadian Judge, Justice Ian Binnie, reported to then Justice Minister Judith Collins that he thought Mr Bain was entitled to compensation.

Ms Collins ordered a peer review of Justice Binnies report which found the retired judges findings were flawed and in February Ms Adams declared the Bain compensation claim process would start again.

Original report here

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