Man facing slavery and human trafficking charges in Napier

A court has been told a man facing two dozen charges of slavery and human trafficking exploited his position as a Samoan Matai making victims to afraid to speak out.

Joseph Matamata, also known as Viliamu Samu, is the first person to face both types of charges in New Zealand and his trial began yesterday in the High Court in Napier.

He denies all counts of using 13 people as slaves between 1994 and 2017.

Hamish Cardwell reports.