An entertainer who admitted trying to bribe a man to get him to drop his indecent assault complaint against a prominent businessman can now be named.
Mika X - formerly known as Mika Haka - last month pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to dissuade a witness, just before he was due to stand trial. Photo: Stuff / Pool
Mika X - formerly known as Mika Haka - last month pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to dissuade a witness, just before he was due to stand trial.
In the High Court at Auckland this morning, Justice Venning sentenced him to 11 months home detention for the offending.
Justice Venning said in April 2017, X - acting for the businessman - arranged to meet with the complainant and discuss work opportunities.
However, X brought up the man's complaint against the businessman. X told the man that if he withdrew it, work would be arranged for him and he would get a significant sum of money.
The man was given a cheque for $15,000 and X told him that it would clear once the complaint had been withdrawn - which he did not do.
X was subsequently involved in a plan to have the man meet with purported talent agents on the Gold Coast, arranging transport for him in a chauffeur-driven car to the meeting at the plush Palazzo Versace hotel.
The talent agents turned out to be two public relations consultants - who can now be named as Hamish Jevan Goulter and Allison Edmonds, who were granted immunity for giving evidence for the Crown in the trial of the prominent businessman.
Justice Venning said X was involved in a "serious ongoing and cynical plan" to prevent the complainant from giving evidence against the businessman.
However, he said X's actions were a one-off lapse and he accepted that his remorse was genuine.
Last week, after a four-week trial in the High Court at Auckland, the businessman was found guilty of three charges of indecent assault, relating to three men, and two charges of attempting to dissuade a witness.
Another associate of the businessman was also found guilty of attempting to dissuade a witness.
They will be sentenced on 6 May.
